Jolyon Palmer misses out on qualifying, Magnussen 14th for Renault
Renault was only able to field one car in qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix, as Jolyon Palmer's chassis was damaged in FP3. Kevin Magnussen made it through to Q2
Even before the qualifications started, they were already over for Jolyon Palmer. Indeed, his chassis didn’t withstand going over a curb during the last free practice session. The team was then forced to change the chassis, and the short two-hour window between the sessions wasn’t enough for such an operation.
The Briton could only regret such a disappointment when Q2 seemed within reach, given his times during free practice: « Unfortunately, I had to miss qualifying. It was really frustrating as we seemed solid in FP3. I was comfortable at the wheel. I went wide and straddled the edge of the curb in the last corner during FP3. I felt a jump, a small one, so I was surprised to learn that the chassis was cracked. »
On the other hand, Kevin Magnussen was able to make it into the second part of qualifying. The Dane thus settled for 14th place as he believes he wouldn’t have been able to do better: « I am quite satisfied with the qualifying session. FP3 was tricky with very strange behavior and tires that didn’t work. I think it was due to the cool temperatures. It seemed better in qualifying, and I don’t think I could have done much more today. Even with a perfect lap, I think thirteenth place was probably out of reach. »
The track and the Mexican weather being so unpredictable, tire strategies will be crucial during the race. They could thus allow the drivers to get involved in the battle for points.
