Mexico – Qualifications: Vettel claims pole and maintains suspense

The three practice sessions of this Mexican Grand Prix have not provided any certainty regarding the competitive standings this weekend. The Mercedes and Red Bull teams seem to be the strongest, although this afternoon the Ferraris have improved compared to their performances on Friday.

The French drivers have faced many difficulties since yesterday. Romain Grosjean, who had given up his seat to Antonio Giovinazzi during FP1, had very little running after his left rear tire burst in FP2. Pierre Gasly, back at Toro Rosso, was hampered by engine problems and unfortunately won’t even take part in the qualifying session… Only Esteban Ocon in his Force India was able to follow his program correctly.

A program already heavily disrupted even before the start of the weekend at McLaren after numerous part replacements on the Honda engines of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, heavily penalized and already certain to start from the back of the grid tomorrow.

In Q1, it is precisely Romain Grosjean who launches his Haas onto the track among the first to try to make up for lost time. The Ferrari drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, position themselves at the top in the first few minutes, with Super Soft tires.

The Mercedes have chosen to go out directly with the Ultra Soft tires. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas logically take the lead over the Ferraris, just ahead of Max Verstappen and his Red Bull fitted with Super Soft red tires.

Alonso is an astonishing 5th, ahead of Sergio Pérez in his Force India, Räikkönen’s other Ferrari, Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull also on Super Softs, Nico Hülkenberg’s Renault, and Ocon who completes the Top 10. The two Haas are in great difficulties with Grosjean 16th and Kevin Magnussen 18th. They are led by a surprising Pascal Wehrlein in 15th place.

The German won’t save his place in Q2 and is even outpaced by his teammate Marcus Ericsson. Both Haas cars follow the Saubers ahead of Gasly, who hasn’t gone out on track.

The drivers eliminated in Q1 are: Ericsson, Wehrlein, Grosjean, Magnussen, Gasly.

The Q2 is underway with Fernando Alonso, who, despite his penalties, still wants to demonstrate his speed on the track. This time, all the drivers are on Ultra Soft tires. Vettel, then Hamilton, each break the track record, with the Briton improving the mark to 1:17.035. The much-anticipated duel seems already started.

Meanwhile, it’s Brandon Hartley’s Toro Rosso that gives up the ghost. Engine problem for the New Zealander in a disastrous weekend for the small Scuderia.

But it’s indeed Max Verstappen who impresses everyone by putting 5 tenths on Hamilton’s Mercedes! New track record for the Dutchman and a big move by Red Bull under the Mexican sun!

Wow 🔥

Verstappen nails a 1:16.524s – a new all-time lap record!#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 #Quali pic.twitter.com/IchvXzrBFV

— Formula 1 (@F1) 28 octobre 2017

With the double yellow flag caused by Hartley, many drivers find themselves without a lap time. The last two minutes are therefore crucial for a small group of drivers like Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll in their Williams, who will be competing for the last top 10 spots against the two Renaults of Carlos Sainz and Nico Hülkenberg.

Ocon leads Pérez in 9th place and both Renaults secure their places in Q3, ahead of the two Force India cars.

The drivers eliminated in Q2 are: Massa, Stroll, Hartley, Alonso, Vandoorne

In Q3, Lewis Hamilton is the first to set a benchmark with a time of 1:16.934, while the Red Bull drivers and Valtteri Bottas have aborted their efforts.

Vettel takes the lead with a time of 1:16.933, immediately beaten by Verstappen who after a second flying lap sets a 1:16.574. Hamilton is 3rd ahead of Ricciardo, Ocon, Sainz, Pérez, Räikkönen, Hülkenberg, and Bottas who is the only one not to have set a time.

In the last run, Verstappen does not improve. Hamilton makes a mistake, going too wide at the stadium entrance and ends up in 3rd place. Vettel snatches pole from the Dutchman with a 1:16.488. A time that ensures he remains the youngest poleman in F1 history, while Max Verstappen has to settle for another second place on the grid.

Esteban Ocon managed to skillfully succeed by finishing 6th, while Sergio Perez may have put too much pressure on himself and only finished 10th in front of his home crowd.

The full qualifying standings:

INITIAL CLASSIFICATION (END OF QUALIFYING): A stunning lap sees Sebastian Vettel claim pole #MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 #Quali pic.twitter.com/BMtCHGAV3t

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 28, 2017