Lando Norris took crucial F1 pole in Mexico GP ahead of Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Oscar Piastri outside Top 5.
Here’s Lando Norris topping FP3: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp3-norris-leads-hamilton-and-russell-in-final-practice-ahead-of-mexico-city.zQqKaWJQ8Z5aShSaz5Stl
Q1:
The first part in F1 qualifying in Mexico GP saw early lap deletion for Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, as grip struggles continued on for almost everyone on the grid. Replays showed the Brazilian locking-up, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton having a moment of his own at Turn 12.
Times were close as the whole field was covered within 0.937s from P1 to P20. It was Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar at the top with a 1m16.733s lap after a solid run, with Hamilton in second after late push lap along with Mercedes’ George Russell in Top 3, as teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli just made it in.
Bortoleto was knocked out in 16th after his 1m17.412s lap, with Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m17.490s) unable to improve in his final attempt to be 17th. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (1m17.546s) was 18th from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (1m17.606s) and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto (1m17.670s).
Q2:
The second part in F1 qualifying in Mexico GP saw no lap for Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson as both he and Hadjar ran out of sequence in free air, whether to start the session or end it. It wasn’t a good first lap for either of the Mercedes drivers and also McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
The Australian complained of power unit issue especially at Turn 5. He made it in by just on his last attempt to knock out Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda (1m16.816s), who missed out Q3 by 0.012s. Haas’ Esteban Ocon (1m16.837s) was 12th from Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (1m17.016s).
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (1m17.103s) was 14th from Lawson (1m18.072s), who managed to get a lap in, in the end. It was McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m16.252s) on top ahead of Hamilton after another late push, with Russell rounding the Top 3. Everyone from P1 to P14 was covered by 0.851s margin.
Q3:
The final part in F1 qualifying in Mexico GP saw early outing for the title contenders with Norris taking on Verstappen after setting a 1m16.170s lap, but both the Ferrari cars came through to spoil the party. It was Charles Leclerc in provisional pole with a 1m15.991s lap – the first to dip in 1m15s barrier.
Hamilton slotted in third to drop Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to fourth, with Piatri only managing fifth ahead of the pair of Mercedes drivers. The final run saw Norris step up to set a 1m15.586s lap to secure crucial F1 pole in Mexico GP by 0.262s margin over the Ferrari pair.
It was also crucial since both of his title rivals ended up outside the first two rows. It was Leclerc (1m15.848s) in second as Hamilton (1m15.938s) secured his best result in third. The Top 3 drivers were the only ones to dip into the 1m15s barrier, as Russell (1m16.034s) was fourth after late push.
Verstappen (1m16.070s) was fifth from Antonelli (1m16.118s), with Williams’ Carlos Sainz (1m16.172s) in seventh ahead of Piastri (1m16.174s). Hadjar (1m16.252s) was ninth from Haas’ Oliver Bearman (1m16.460s) in the Top 10, where everyone from P1 to P10 covered by just 0.874s margin.
Piastri will make up one place to be seventh due to penalty for Sainz, who will drop to 12th.
