F1 Mexico GP Qualifying: Pole Verstappen, Sainz 5th

Max Verstappen conquers pole position for the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix, where he has beaten his rivals by more than three tenths, which this time were the Mercedes of Russell and Hamilton and not so much the Ferraris.

Carlos Sainz will start from fifth on the grid tomorrow, while Fernando Alonso will start ninth.

With his three victories at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez and after having achieved victory in the last two rounds this season, anyone would have said before the start of the weekend that the favorite for pole position was Max Verstappen and, as the main rival, “only” his teammate at Red Bull, Sergio Pérez, was pointed out.

However, before the Mexican GP Qualifying, the Mercedes team surprised with a double in Free Practice 3, with which they turned all bets upside down. It was precisely a car from the star’s brand, Lewis Hamilton, who led Q1, although he did so thanks to a time (1:19.169) at the end of the session when the track was in its best conditions.

The seven-time British world champion started Q2 strongly and, on his first lap, he set a 1:18.552 that not even his teammate, George Russell, could match, although he was close, 13 thousandths behind Hamilton.

At the end of the session, Sainz moved up to second, with a best time just eight thousandths behind Hamilton, while Verstappen finished fourth, failing to take the lead from Lewis despite mounting new rubber.

Already in Q3, the uncertainty was maximum, with a Mercedes that seemed to get into the battle for the ‘pole’ that Red Bull and Ferrari usually maintain. The local idol, Checo Pérez, was the first to set the time on the Mexican track, a 1: 18.153 that seconds later was surpassed by his teammate, Verstappen, with a 1: 17.947.

Neither the two Ferrari nor the two Mercedes could beat the Dutchman; Russell moved into second, just one tenth off Max, and Pérez dropped to third place, with Carlos fourth four tenths off the lead. Hamilton, who had placed third, had his time taken for exceeding track limits.

In the second attempt, only Verstappen managed to improve his time, managing to lower it to 1:17.775, with which he beat Russell and Hamilton by three tenths, who with his last time rose to third place. Pérez will start from fourth place at home and Carlos Sainz will start fifth as the best Ferrari, with a great Bottas sixth and Leclerc seventh.

Fernando Alonso will start ninth in Mexico

It has not been a brilliant classification for Fernando Alonso in Mexico. The Asturian driver will start from ninth position, after passing the limit (tenth) to Q3, and completing only one lap in the last round of qualifying. Although his final lap was not brilliant, Alonso was able to overtake his teammate, Esteban Ocon, who will start right behind him, in tenth place.

The Alpine driver with number 14 will have Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc right in front of him at the start. His goal is once again to score points for Alpine, which continues its battle to maintain fourth place in the Constructors’ World Championship against McLaren, and is also interested in scoring more than Ocon, who is separated by XX points in the Drivers’ World Championship.

Results Classification F1 GP Mexico 2022

The Mexican Grand Prix will start this Sunday at 9:00 p.m.