The practice sessions for the weekend are over, and we’ve begun qualifying for the F1 Mexico City GP.
Fastest throughout the practice sessions, Lando Norris seems to be the quickest driver this weekend thus far.
Today’s earlier session in FP3 saw Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and George Russell topping the timesheets – let’s see who’s lining up first for tomorrow’s race.
Q1 is go!
Green light means go, and cars start taking to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, signifying the start of the qualifying session.
Both of the Aston Martins are first out on track. The pair missed final runs in FP3 due to technical issues with their cars.
The first few cars have completed their laps, and Norris has gone quicker than all, including Ollie Bearman’s initial faster lap, 0.6s quicker.
McLaren teammate Piastri goes much slower than Norris, finishing his first lap much further down the pack.
Charles Leclerc follows behind Norris, just slightly slower than the frontrunner.
With an altered rear wing for the weekend, Max Verstappen is next to complete a flying lap, moving up to third place.
Around 8 minutes to go in Q1, and Bearman put in a rapid lap, quickly overtaken by Norris, who reclaimed the pole spot. Leclerc falls just behind Norris, making the current top three: Norris, Leclerc, and Bearman.
Just under four minutes to go, and Verstappen is attempting another fast lap, currently sitting in P9. He needs to find some pace to get through to Q2.
Verstappen moves up into P5. The track is evolving and he may have time to try another run.
Two minutes to go, and these are the drivers at risk: Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hulkenberg, and Lance Stroll.
Thanks to track evolution, Isack Hadjar goes fastest with a 1.16.733, and Liam Lawson flies up into third.
Drivers out in Q1
The chequered flag is waved, and Bortoleto, Albon, Gasly, Stroll, and Colapinto are out in Q1, lining up at the back for tomorrow’s race.
Footage shows Colapinto hitting the kerb at turn 3, explaining his poor final performance.
Teams hit the track for Q2
The RBs of Lawson and Hadjar are first to hit the track for Q2. Hadjar sets the time to beat of 1.17.137.
Leclerc goes fastest next, with Verstappen, and his teammate, Hamilton, behind him.
Norris gets ahead of Leclerc, with Sainz sliding into P3, ahead of Verstappen. Piastri is around a second behind his teammate, struggling the match the pace of Norris throughout the past few weekends.
Antonelli is slowest on track, whilst Russell sits in P9. Neither are currently safe from the drop zone, seeming relatively slow on this track.
Four minutes to go and these are the drivers at risk: Bearman, Ocon, Alonso, Antonelli, Lawson.
Lawson is bottom of the pack, still yet to set a time, and just aborted a flying lap – he won’t have much time left to get a timed lap in.
Piastri reports a potenital issue with the car, claiming something was wrong in an earlier lap at turn five.
Verstappen shoots up to second briefly, still slower than Norris, but healthily through into Q3.
Piastri is on soft tyres, but it’s unconfirmed if his potential issue has been resolved. He manages to put his McLaren up into P7 before the session ends – miles away from his teammate in P1.
Drivers out in Q2
Tsunoda, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Alonso, and Lawson will not progress to Q3.
Q3 – Final session of qualifying begins
Norris and Leclerc are the only drivers with two new sets of soft tyres left to use within Q3 – let’s see how this session goes.
Green light is on, and drivers hit the track!
Verstappen’s on track and starts his first lap of the final session, putting in a 1.16.455. Norris crosses shortly after and goes three tenths quicker.
Piastri finally shows some pace and crosses the line just behind Verstappen, and Leclerc puts in an incredble lap that pops him up to provisional pole.
5 minutes to go, all cars are in the pits, and the provisional grid is as follows: Leclerc, Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, Sainz, Hadjar, and Bearman.
Drivers hit the track, and Piastri goes up to P3. Verstappen crosses the line and moves up into second, behind Leclerc’s fastest lap.
Norris pulls together an incredible lap and snatches pole position for tomorrow’s grand prix. His teammate can only manage P8.
Neither Leclerc nor Hamilton can touch Norris’ time either, making the top three for tomorrow’s race: Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton.
The rest of the grid finished as follows: Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli, Sainz, Piastri, Hadjar, and Bearman. Sainz will drop five spots, moving the championship leader up to P7 on the grid.
