The Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) achieved this Saturday the 19th pole position of his Formula 1 career, being the fastest in qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix.
Verstappen, already a mathematical champion, set his best lap of 1.17.775 minutes, leaving second-placed British George Russell (Mercedes) in second position, 0.304 seconds, with his compatriot Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) third, 0.309 seconds.
“It was a good qualifying. It was tight, but before Q3 I made some adjustments to the car. We will need a good start, but I think we have a good car for the race,” said the Red Bull driver.
Max Verstappen always gave the idea of being comfortable on this track, where he has won three of the last four races held here (he was only beaten by Hamilton in 2019 and, in 2020, the race was canceled due to covid-19). pandemic).
If in the second stage of qualifying he mounted used tires to guarantee, by far, enough time to qualify for the final stage, Q3, in this decisive phase of the session, made the best time, twice.
He was already the virtual holder of pole position when, on the last attempt, he still improved by two tenths of the time already set, leaving the two Mercedes with little hope of reaching the lead.
However, this higher altitude track showed that the German cars are more competitive, with Hamilton leading both Q1 and Q2.
For the second time this season, Russell starts from the front row of the grid (the other was in Hungary).
The Mexican Sérgio Pérez (Red Bull) was fourth fastest, 0.353 seconds behind his teammate, while the Spanish Carlos Sainz was the best of the Ferrari representatives, in fifth position, but already more than half a second.
The Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) surprised with sixth position, ahead of the other Ferrari, Charles Leclerc.
Lando Norris (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) completed the top ten on the grid.
The Formula 1 Mexican GP is the 20th of the 22 races of the season, which already has the two champions found. Max Verstappen won the drivers’ title and Red Bull the constructors’.
However, the Dutch driver can break the record for most wins in a season in this race, which he equaled in the previous test, in Texas.
Currently the record is 13 and belongs to Verstappen and the Germans Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher.
Source: TSF
