Max Verstappen edged out title rival Lando Norris as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claimed pole place on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix. Norris trails Verstappen by 57 components inside the drivers’ championship with 5 races remaining and 146 components up for grabs and wishes to start making primary inroads into the Dutchman’s profit.
McLaren failed of their bid to overturn Norris’ controversial penalty which demoted him behind Verstappen in Austin closing weekend – a finish outcome the British driver labelled a “momentum killer” in his pursuit of a maiden title. And other people hopes suffered an additional blow as Norris may solely finish third in qualifying for Sunday’s 71-lap race, a spot behind his title rival and over three-tenths off the tempo of pole-sitter Sainz.
Norris topped the first two intervals of qualifying nevertheless had no reply to the blistering lap of the Spaniard, alongside along with his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc taking fourth on the grid. Verstappen has gained 5 of the ultimate six Grands Prix in Mexico and is bidding for a fourth win in a row on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday.
The Purple Bull driver endured a tricky run-up to qualifying, affected by engine factors which restricted his working on Friday sooner than complaining of a shortage of grip in final comply with. Nonetheless the Dutchman will probably be delighted to have pulled it collectively for qualifying and might hope to take care of Norris at bay on the extended 768-metre blast down to point out one.
George Russell will line up fifth for Mercedes, a spot away from team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Norris will not have assist from team-mate Oscar Piastri after the Australian suffered a dramatic dip in form – being knocked out inside the first part of qualifying having been quickest in final comply with merely hours earlier.
In a blow to McLaren’s constructors’ title bid, Piastri licensed solely seventeenth and was joined in a Q1 elimination by Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez. The Mexican, who admitted on Thursday he had endured a “horrible season”, disenchanted his raucous residence assist by ending a lowly 18th as pressure intensifies on his Purple Bull future.
McLaren lead Purple Bull by 40 components, with Ferrari solely an additional eight components adrift.
11:27 PM BSTFerrari solely path McLaren by 48 components inside the standings
Piastri is out of the equation on the doorway of the sector, whereas Norris is behind one Ferrari and ahead of the alternative. Within the occasion that they finish the place they start tomorrow then that gap will come all the best way all the way down to 26. Given the form they’re displaying not too way back, Ferrari may sneak this constructors’ title. Sadly for Purple Bull, Perez’s performances are why they’re on this place inside the first place and he does not look like loads use now, each.
11:19 PM BSTYou normally get very feisty opening laps in Mexico
What chance of a repeat of that tomorrow? Not significantly this crash from 2023 that eradicated Sergio Perez (above), nevertheless the movement. Verstappen is there, so a extreme chance of some argy-bargy.
11:15 PM BSTSainz speaks after a sixth occupation F1 pole
Very joyful and yeah, a really perfect couple pf laps. Various cases spherical Mexico it feels equivalent to you cannot put a lap collectively. I put two sturdy laps in Q3 ample for pole and that’s not normally the case in Mexico with how tough it is. It appears to be like as if we’re entering into the right route. Wanting forward to finish the job tomorrow nevertheless pole place proper now I will take it on account of it reveals some progress.
I’ve acknowledged it sooner than nevertheless it’s a shame he is not going to a gaggle that is additional aggressive than Williams.
11:13 PM BSTVerstappen on his front-row start
We have now been having fun with catch-up [after not running much on Friday], FP3 wasn’t wonderful. My lap time acquired taken away so added just a bit bit additional pressure. Very joyful to be on the doorway row, I didn’t rely on that to be doable. I really feel it’s almost definitely certainly one of many hardest tracks to get correct. It’s certainly one of many tough ones on the calendar.
11:12 PM BSTNorris speaks after his P3
I’m pretty pleased with third…I actually really feel like I acquired to the limit of the auto pretty quickly which made us look good nevertheless I struggled to get additional out of it inside the final two laps. Yeah, I’m pleased with third. None of us have completed appropriate prolonged runs on the tyres we’re going to be on tomorrow… there’s question marks for all of us nevertheless Ferrari have completed [good long runs].
11:11 PM BSTWell, that was a pleasing session
Errors from Hulkenberg and Hamilton on their final laps worth them.
11:09 PM BSTQ3 – Classification
SAI 1:15.946
VER +0.225
NOR +0.314
LEC +0.319
RUS +0.410
HAM +0.705
MAG +0.940
GAS +0.946
ALB +1.119
HUL +1.419
11:08 PM BSTCARLOS SAINZ TAKES POLE FOR THE 2024 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX
Every of his laps sufficient for pole in Q3. Verstappen found a lap when he wished it nevertheless it was not ample to beat Sainz. Norris’s lap wasn’t too unhealthy each nevertheless he merely didn’t have the supremacy he appeared to have in Q1 and Q2. Leclerc fourth ahead of the two Mercedes led by Russell.
11:07 PM BSTQ3 – Verstappen as a lot as second!
He splits the Ferraris! Norris needs a mighty final sector, nevertheless he finishes third behind Verstappen by beneath a tenth!
11:06 PM BSTQ3 – A top quality first sector for Leclerc
And likewise for Sainz, who goes faster nonetheless! Verstappen 0.087sec off Sainz’s earlier time and two-tenths down on their current ones. Sainz appears to be to be on the upper lap proper right here. Norris on Verstappen’s tempo nevertheless not the Ferraris…
Leclerc cannot beat Sainz’s time nevertheless Sainz improves! Norris quickest inside the middle sector…
11:04 PM BSTQ3 – Norris on the radio
Looks as if he is barely nervous about his out lap and getting all through the highway in tip-top type.
11:03 PM BSTQ3 – Nonetheless not sure what occurred to Norris
He is nearer to Hulkenberg in eighth than he is to provisional pole man Sainz.
11:01 PM BSTQ3 – Order after first runs
SAI 1:16.055
LEC +0.360
RUS +0.454
HAM +0.596
NOR +0.882
GAS +1.214
ALB +1.283
HUL +1.526
MAG +2.049
VER (NO TIME)
11:00 PM BSTQ3 – Stress on every Verstappen and Norris then
Nonetheless for differing causes. Verstappen on account of he doesn’t have a lap on the board and Norris on account of he has a not wonderful lap on the board. Sainz acquired an excellent slipstream behind Hulkenberg on that lap.
10:59 PM BSTQ3 – Leclerc narrowly misses out on provisional pole
Nonetheless Sainz goes quickest of anyone by three-tenths. A top quality, prime quality lap.
And Verstappen has his lap time deleted for observe limits! It was at flip two, decreasing the nook. Presumably at flip three as properly.
10:58 PM BSTQ3 – Verstappen crosses the highway
It’s a 1:16.638. What has Norris acquired? He’s miles behind. Virtually six-tenths. He in no way truly acquired close to Verstappen, whose time stays to be slower than Norris’s primary Q2 time. Hmmm.
Leclerc on an excellent lap, Sainz with the quickest first sector of anyone!
10:57 PM BSTQ3 – Verstappen the first of the large weapons out
Magnussen and Hulkenberg set a 27.6 slightly below in sector one and Verstappen is 0.3sec up on that. He’s not competing with the Haas cars, in spite of everything. Norris is 1 / 4 of a second slower than Verstappen after one sector, though.
Max is flying proper right here.
10:56 PM BSTQ3 – One different level out for Haas
This observe was as soon as as soon as they’d have inexplicably unhealthy performances, even going by their tendency for his or her in-season progress improvement to be poor. They’ve every cars in Q3 proper right here.
10:53 PM BSTQ3 begins!
Who’s inside the battle for pole? Norris, Verstappen truly. Every Ferraris? Maybe. Mercedes? Not loads.
10:51 PM BSTA slight delay to qualifying
They’re merely checking/repairing the constraints after Tsunoda’s shunt. Q3 will start at 10.53 BST, though.
10:46 PM BSTWe didn’t get a full be taught on the cars there
As a result of crash on the end. Norris clearly favourite proper right here, though. Replays current Tsunoda binned it inside the stadium half, shedding the rear end of the auto on the out lap…
10:42 PM BSTQ2 – Classification
NOR 1:16.301
VER +0.213
SAI +0.214
LEC +0.340
RUS +0.636
HAM +0.672
ALB +0.687
HUL +0.694
MAG +0.702
GAS +0.747
These are the lads by means of to Q3.
10:41 PM BSTRED FLAG
Tsunoda is inside the wall. Not an unlimited crash nevertheless that brings an end to the session and means he, RB team-mate Lawson, Alonso, Stroll and Bottas are all eradicated…
10:40 PM BSTQ2 – Ferraris cross the highway
Sainz in third and Leclerc in fourth, having not set a lap time sooner than.
10:38 PM BSTQ2 – Albon improves
He strikes to fifth, having already out-qualified new team-mate Franco Colapinto. The Argentine has been giving him a run for his money since he modified Logan Sargeant from Monza onwards. Albon may do with an excellent points-scoring weekend proper right here the place he has the upper hand. A little bit little bit of a dip in form.
Leclerc with the quickest first sector of anyone.
10:37 PM BSTQ2 – Order after the first runs
NOR
VER +0.328
RUS +0.636
HAM +0.672
SAI +0.726
GAS +0.747
ALB +0.789
TSU +0.828
LAW +0.861
ALO +0.867ELIMINATION ZONE:
MAG
STR
HUL
BOT
LEC
Leclerc has however to set a time.
10:35 PM BSTQ2 – Norris goes quickest
0.328sec up on Verstappen and faster than his earlier best in Q1. Russell in third, Hamilton fourth and Sainz fifth. All through half a second off Norris’s tempo. Not sure many people have the final phrase tempo to downside Norris proper now by the appears to be of it. Maybe solely Verstappen?
10:33 PM BSTQ2 – Sainz about four-tenths off Verstappen’s tempo
This has a tricky qualifying session to get a grip on, and I really feel the drivers are feeling that technique, too. Simple to make a mistake at this observe, so low grip it is.
One different good lap from Gasly who was, think about it or not, slowest of all in FP3.
Pierre crosses the highway P3 for his first timed lap of Q2 😎
Niceeeeeeee 👏
Ideas you, Piastri was quickest and take a look at him now…
Norris is flying with the quickest first two sectors…
10:31 PM BSTQ2 – Verstappen’s early tempo
A 1:16.629, which is just a few tenth slower than the quickest time in Q1. Leclerc crosses the highway a second off, though appears to have used tyres on. I assumed Verstappen did too, ideas you. Verstappen claimed the rear tyres have been a bit “low grip” in sector two. Misplaced a bit little bit of time driving the kerbs too. Leclerc actually has his lap time deleted, I assume for observe limits.
10:29 PM BSTPiastri reacts after his early exit
“I merely went off in flip 12, acquired beached on the kerb there and that was it. My lap was merely going to be ample, it’s very irritating to have made that mistake. I misplaced just a few second, so… painful.”
10:26 PM BSTQ2 begins!
quarter-hour and Alexander Albon is the first man available on the market, Verstappen not too far behind him.
10:26 PM BSTThis could be a low second for Perez’s occupation
There have been so extreme moments along with plenty of victories and some podiums proper right here nevertheless, yeah, eradicated in Q1 at your personal dwelling race in arguably your worst season in F1 will not be a fond memory.
10:21 PM BSTQ1 – Classification
NOR 1:16.505
SAI +0.273
VER +0.298
LEC +0.467
MAG +0.620
GAS +0.644
TSU +0.677
HUL +0.681
ALB +0.684
RUS +0.689
HAM +0.801
ALO +0.802
LAW +0.875
BOT +0.888
STR +0.902
Consequence for Bottas, there. Into Q2!
10:20 PM BSTQ1 ends – Norris quickest
OUT: COL, PIA, PER, OCO, ZHO
10:19 PM BSTQ1 – Closing runs nonetheless beneath technique
Perez moreover out, by one of the best ways. Or does he have time to do one different lap? I don’t assume so. Ocon harrying throughout the stadium half to try to get available on the market. Can he? No.
10:18 PM BSTQ1 – Magnussen goes fourth!
That dumps Piastri out! What a big quantity. How did that happen? Quickest in FP3 and out in Q1. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
10:17 PM BSTQ1 – Into the final word two minutes
Piastri has improved barely inside the second sector as has Perez. Whether or not or not it can probably be ample I am not sure…
Piastri crosses the highway and goes 14th… that gained’t be ample, definitely. Perez fifteenth and the similar applies to him. Definitely it will not as Leclerc strikes from near the underside into third.
10:16 PM BSTQ1 – Harmful info for Piastri…
His closing lap, which solely observed him switch to thirteenth, has been deleted putting him nineteenth. Hmmm. I really feel he would have wanted to do one different lap anyway. Norris is at current quickest by nearly half a second over Verstappen. Piastri does a quiet down and battery value lap and goes as soon as extra. No errors this time. Perez nonetheless inside the drop zone.
Piastri struggling to hunt out the tempo in sector one, as is Perez…
10:14 PM BSTQ1 – Russell into fourth
Hamilton not attempting on not pretty just about pretty much as good, definitely he isn’t. Eighth quickest nevertheless 0.3sec off Verstappen. It’s tight available on the market. Piastri inside the drop zone, as is Perez. Piastri has moved onto the fragile tyres, correctly I assume.
10:11 PM BSTQ1 – Leclerc doesn’t appear to have it connected
He’s down in ninth, 0.690sec off Verstappen. Hulkenberg goes second behind Verstappen by 0.188sec. Onerous to know what to make of this order up to now. Perez struggling to gradual the auto down inside the gradual velocity, I really feel he says. Now Gasly strikes in to second.
10:10 PM BSTQ1 – Prime 10 and gaps
VER
NOR
SAI
STR
ALB
COL
HAM
LEC
RUS
ALO
Not worth telling you the drivers inside the drop zone on account of solely thought-about certainly one of them has set a lap.
10:08 PM BSTQ1 – Three purple sectors for Verstappen
Which means he strikes prime by two tenths, 1.5sec faster than his team-mate Perez…
10:08 PM BSTQ1 – Norris with a top quality lap
It’s 0.241sec faster than Sainz with Hamilton in third, albeit 0.645sec down on Norris’s tempo. Piastri is about to cross the highway inside the completely different McLaren nevertheless he too is a good distance down, eighth quickest and a second down.
McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Purple Bull are straight out on medium tyres.
Norris items the benchmark after the first flying laps, two tenths away from Sainz.
We see a replay on the second straight. Does he lock a brake? Positive, he does. Not sure it may need worth him a second nevertheless making a lot of a nook at first of the lap can have a compounding influence.
Verstappen going properly, quickest inside the first two sectors…
10:06 PM BSTQ1 – Ferrari leads one of the best ways
Perez will get an unlimited cheer inside the baseball stadium sophisticated nevertheless his lap is poor, higher than a second down on chief Carlos Sainz, on the mediums every of the Ferraris.
10:05 PM BSTQ1 – A mix of medium and delicate tyres up to now
Ferrari and Mercedes on mediums, everyone else on the softs. Bottas and Zhou have every set lap cases, with Bottas the faster of the two Sauber’s by 1.5sec. Zhou isn’t going to be racing in F1 subsequent 12 months and that is not undeserved, I am afraid.
10:03 PM BSTQ1 – Nobody that decided to get out on the very start
A couple of minutes in and we get an excellent few cars out. Scorching observe temperature proper now.
10:01 PM BSTGREEN LIGHT! Q1 is go!
They’re beneath technique in Mexico Metropolis.
09:57 PM BSTFive minutes until Q1 begins
Just under, in actuality. It’s good to look forward to every aggressive session with just a bit little little bit of uncertainty and pleasure isn’t it? We had a bit little bit of that at first of 2022 until Ferrari and Leclerc’s downside pale. Then we merely had Purple Bull dominance for over a 12 months. Happily F1 is in rude properly being in the intervening time. Have the benefit of it while you may on account of it isn’t and will not on a regular basis be like this. Mr Norris is ready…
09:50 PM BSTRemaining F1 races in 2024
October 27: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, Autodromo Hermanos RodriguezNovember 3: Sao Paulo Grand Prix, InterlagosNovember 23: Las Vegas Grand PrixDecember 1: Qatar Grand Prix, LusailDecember 8: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
Sao Paulo subsequent weekend and Qatar are every sprint weekends. I really feel we’ll almost definitely see the drivers’ championship wrapped up in Qatar. Verstappen should be 53 components ahead after the sprint there which does not seem too far off. Or, after the race, merely 27 components ahead of Norris (Leclerc nonetheless in mathematical rivalry).
Vegas can be an opportunity, needing to be 61 components ahead by the purpose the race has accomplished. Not too outlandish.
09:45 PM BSTNot pretty a retro livery from Williams this weekend
Nonetheless nearly…
Yellow was an unlimited part of the group’s id (or comparatively, branding) all through the Nineteen Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties. Need we’d see additional yellow. And black. Yellow and black is on a regular basis a winner. Appeared just about pretty much as good on the 2019 Renault as a result of it did on the 1999 Jordan of Damon Hill’s closing season.
09:38 PM BSTCurrent constructor standings
On current form, McLaren’s biggest danger is Ferrari and by no means Purple Bull. As a result of the return from summer season season break, McLaren have scored 178 components compared with the Scuderia’s 151, Purple Bull’s 96 and Mercedes’ 78. Mercedes have failed to hunt out the form that helped them to some wins inside the 4 races sooner than the mid-season hiatus.
09:26 PM BSTAn completely different championship outlook
How completely completely different might points have been if McLaren’s car was on the tempo from the start of the season? Correctly, it could be nearer nevertheless Norris has not exactly maximised his tools since his maiden victory in Miami. In precise reality, listed beneath are the components complete by driver as a result of the start of that weekend in Florida.
Elements totals since Chinese language language GP (14 rounds)
Verstappen 244
Norris 239
Piastri 209
Leclerc 199
Hamilton 158
Sainz 146
Russell 134
Perez 65
Whether or not or not or Norris must have completed greater than that’s one issue (certain he must have). What this reveals how shut it has been since then, with merely 98 components separating first and sixth on this itemizing, or a median margin of seven components per spherical. This has been a very pleasurable F1 season.
Perez an unlimited outlier on this as he has decrease than half the next-best man. He is very fortunate to be in that seat. Whether or not or not he’ll probably be at first of subsequent 12 months I am not sure. If Lawson carries on like he did in Austin…
09:22 PM BSTCurrent driver standings
5 rounds and two of those sprint weekends left inside the season. Norris misplaced flooring to Verstappen in Austin and whereas it does not exactly end his hopes of the drivers’ title, it makes it a gargantuan course of. Purple Bull seem to have gotten on prime of the worst of their points.
Norris’s biggest hope is Verstappen having a DNF. Even have been Norris to win with Verstappen not ending this weekend 32 components over the remaining races stays to be a lot to make up.
09:14 PM BSTIf you missed it, proper right here’s the Albon/Berman crash from FP1
RED FLAG! 🚨
Contact between Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman with every drivers okay and out of their cars 🟥
09:13 PM BSTAston Martin’s struggles
Inside the races up until and along with Canada, they scored 58 components, since then (10 rounds) they’ve scored merely 28 components. Within the similar time Haas have scored 31, Williams 15 and RB and Alpine eight. That may very well be a poor return considering the sources at their disposal. You are feeling that it has nothing to do with Alonso’s driving. Irrespective of points have occured they have not been able to develop their technique out of it. Given the place they started in 2023, it’s a worrying improvement – significantly when the principles principally carry over into 2025.
09:08 PM BSTFernando Alonso’s four-hundredth F1 race entry this weekend
Technically not his four-hundredth grand prix start nevertheless his four-hundredth weekend involvement. His Aston Martin group are struggling inside the extreme in the intervening time and there could also be almost definitely solely the pores and skin chance of things this weekend. Ideas you, that has been the case for a while. If components are on present he gained’t be distant, ideas you…
09:04 PM BSTTimes after final comply with
PIA 1:16.942
NOR +0.059
SAI +0.340
VER +0.511
HAM +0.568
LEC +0.740
TSU +0.810
RUS +0.849
MAG +0.982
LAW +1.002
ALB +1.019
BOT +1.174
COL +1.220
PER +1.295
ALO +1.306
HUL +1.327
STR +1.408
OCO +1.832
ZHO +1.936
GAS +1.962
08:52 PM BSTGood evening
Welcome to our safety for qualifying for the 2024 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. F1 returned proper right here in 2015 and now we now have seen a race (whether or not or not the Mexican Grand Prix or this one) yearly aside from the pandemic-blighted 12 months of 2020. Has it been a worthy addition to the calendar? Positive, on your complete.
The altitude along with the observe construction has produced some good moments, though this event has not been with out its duller editions. Though what race observe hasn’t had a few duds over a decade or so? And, naturally, how good a race is depends on how shut the rivals is simply too. In the intervening time it’s vitally shut, which normally makes for an attention-grabbing weekend.
Positive, the problem over observe limits and racing tips has rumbled on into this weekend and might little query proceed previous. Nonetheless there have been a few completely different talking components as a result of the weekend began, significantly just a few massive crashes in comply with yesterday. The first bought right here when Alexander Albon and Oliver Bearman (subbing in at Ferrari) collided in FP1 which was an odd incident.
Then bought right here George Russell’s hefty crash in FP2, which resulted in a go to to the medical centre, resulting from a 30G affect. Happily he is OK now nevertheless it follows on from his crash in qualifying closing week in Austin, alongside along with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton crashing early inside the race. An expensive week or so for Mercedes.
FP3 accomplished a short while previously and McLaren appeared the class of the sector. Oscar Piastri – who was comparatively and unusually distant from team-mate Lando Norris in Austin – topped the sector by decrease than a second over the second McLaren. Carlos Sainz was the closest non-McLaren driver, 0.340sec off Piastri’s time. Max Verstappen was fourth for Purple Bull, albeit half a second off the final phrase tempo.
Qualifying will get beneath technique at 10pm BST and we are going to probably be proper right here for your complete build-up, keep updates and response from it.
