Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took the 19th pole position in his Formula 1 career today, as he was fastest in qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix.
Already a math champion, Verstappen set his best lap of 1.17.775 minutes, putting second-placed British driver George Russell (Mercedes) in second, 0.304 seconds, with compatriot Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) in third, 0.309 seconds.
“It was a good qualifying. It was tight, but for 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,” the Red Bull underlined. driver.
Max Verstappen always gave the idea of being comfortable on this track, where he won three of the last four races played here (he was only beaten by Hamilton in 2019 and the race was canceled in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic).
If he fitted used tires in the second leg of qualifying to guarantee, with enough clearance, enough time to qualify for the final leg, Q3 had twice the best time in this decisive phase of the session.
He was already the virtual holder of the pole when he improved about two tenths of the time already made on the last attempt, leaving the two Mercedes with no great hope of getting to the front.
However, this circuit, located at a higher elevation, showed that German cars are more competitive, with Hamilton leading in Q1 and Q2.
For the second time this season, Russell will start from the front row (the other was in Hungary).
Mexican Sérgio Pérez (Red Bull) was fourth fastest, 0.353 seconds behind his teammate, while Spaniard Carlos Sainz was the best of Ferrari’s representatives, in fifth position but already more than half a second away.
The Finnish Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) surprised with the sixth position, ahead of the other Ferrari, from 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, in which the two champions have already been found. Max Verstappen won the drivers’ title and Red Bull the constructors’ title.
However, the Dutch rider can break the record for most wins in a season in this race, which he equaled in the previous round in Texas.
The record currently stands at 13 and belongs to Verstappen and the Germans Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher.
Source: DN
