Max on P2 in Mexico qualifying: 'Very happy to be on the front row'

Published on 27 October 2024 by Florence Cobben

Max Verstappen qualified for the Mexico Grand Prix in second. After a difficult Friday and a redacted first flying lap in Q3, the pressure was on for his last flying lap. Despite the challenges, the Oracle Red Bull Racing-driver set a time of 1:16.171, which secured him second place. Pole sitter Carlos Sainz in his Ferrari was two-tenths of a second faster than Max. Max was followed by his nearest championship challengers, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, who will respectively be starting from P3 and P4. 

After qualifying, a relieved Max spoke to the press: "There was quite a lot [of pressure]. Yesterday I barely did any laps so we're playing a lot of catch up. FP3 was not very good, so I was already under a lot of pressure to have a good qualifying. And then of course my lap time got taken away. So, that added a little more pressure. But yeah - very happy to be on the front row, I honestly didn't expect that to be possible."

The Mexico circuit proved to be challenging for all the drivers, Max elaborated: "It's one of the hardest tracks to get right. Street circuits are difficult, and this one as well." Referring to the reporter, Max agrees: "As you said, low downforce, so it's easy to have a lock up or slide and the tyres overheat, so it's one of the tricky ones on the calendar." 

In front of an array of fans at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the qualifying Grand Prix of Mexico got underway. Max immediately took the bull by the horns and and set a flying lap resulting in a 1:16.998 time, which put him in first. Later, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz improved on the Dutchman's time, but Max is still safely through to Q3 in third. At the back of the grid, drivers Oscar Piastri and Sergio Perez stun onlookers - Piastri is only seventeenth, while Perez ends in eighteenth. Both are eliminated in Q1, alongside Franco Colapinto (P16), Esteban Ocon (P19) and Zhou Guanyu (P20).

In Q2, Max again sets the fastest time in the first round of flying laps (1:16.629). Norris eventually improves on his time. Max also manages to set a faster lap (1:16.514), but still is forced to make due with second place, two-tenths of a second behind Norris. At the end of Q2 Yuki Tsunoda ends up in the wall at turn twelve. The RB-driver locked up and flew into the barriers. Tsunoda stepped out of the RB without injury, and Q2 ends with the red flag. Tsunoda qualified eleventh, meaning he exits the car alongside teammate Liam Lawson (P12) and Fernando Alonso (P13), Lance Stroll (P14) and Valtteri Bottas (P15).

At the start of Q3, Max sets a time of 1:16.368, putting him on provisional pole, but loses the time due to exceeding track limits at turn two. Carlos Sainz is promoted to first, followed by Ferrari-teammate Charles Leclerc. In his second lap Max sets a 1:16.171 time, placing him in second. Carlos Sainz will claim pole, the sixth in his Formula 1 career. Max will join him on the front row, having qualified two-tenths behind the Spaniard. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc start on the second row, followed by the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Kevin Magnussen is best of the rest in P7, followed by Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon and Nico Hulkenberg, who complete the top ten. 

The Mexico Grand Prix will start Sunday 21:00 Continental Time. 

Contest GP Mexico: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing cap!

Results qualifying Mexico: