The F1 season resumes in Mexico City with Carlos Sainz on pole ahead of Max Verstappen, who edged out Lando Norris for the front row as the pair lock horns after their highly contentious battle in Austin last week.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosts the Mexican Grand Prix with Sainz impressing in the Ferrari in qualifying, with Charles Leclerc, who produced a sensational drive to claim victory at the US Grand Prix, starting in fourth.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton come next as Mercedes attempt to rediscover their form in the closing stages of the season.
Relive all the action from a thrilling qualifying and the build-up to the Mexico Grand Prix below:
F1 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING - LATEST UPDATES
- Max Verstappen and Lando Norris resume battle for drivers’ championship with Red Bull star’s lead up to 57 points
- Piastri and Perez suffer Q1 nightmare with premature exit
- Carlos Sainz claims terrific pole as Verstappen joins Ferrari on row row ahead of Norris
- Norris reacts to third in qualifying at Mexico Grand Prix
- Mexico Grand Prix 2024 grid order in full
Christian Horner reacts to Mexico Grand Prix qualifying
01:05
Jack Rathborn
"Two laps for pole from Carlos, he's been competitive, so congrats to him and Ferrari. Very happy with Max, he dragged everything out of that car, particularly after yesterday [with so few laps],” says Christian Horner.
“Carlos is a quality driver, he’s looked fast all weekend, his long runs looked great yesterday.
“It’ll be fascinating, the margins are so small. I think the race could be really fascinating.
“We need to look into it [Sergio Perez’s performance], the gap between the two cars is significant, it’s massively disappointing for him in front of his home crowd. But there’s a lot of work to be done.”
Lando Norris maintains he got ‘everything’ out of McLaren during qualifying
Sunday 27 October 2024 00:50
Jack Rathborn
Lando Norris: “It’s difficult to get everything out, I found something in Q1 and Q2, but then I found the limit.
“I found it hard to get the most out of the car. I had to drive on the limit on the second run, I’m happy.
“We could’ve had Max, not as clean as I would have liked, I wanted to get a good-ish run.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella reacts to Mexico Grand Prix qualifying
Sunday 27 October 2024 00:30
Jack Rathborn
Andrea Stella says: “The car during this session it was competitive, Carlos in the final session raced well, the natural progression with Lando we could've been there.
“But the laps in Q3 were not great. In the second one it wasn't very clean, but it was important to be in the first or second row.
“Encouraging it's performing well, but we lacked a bit of performance from execution, especially with Oscar.”
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur reacts to Carlos Sainz landing pole position
Sunday 27 October 2024 00:10
Jack Rathborn
“It was a very good session because the two laps of Q3 were both good enough for pole.
“It was not obvious before that we were much more focused on the race pace, and it’s very good news for us.
“We were not expecting to get pole position, we were much more focused on tomorrow.”
Lando Norris reacts to third in qualifying at Mexico Grand Prix
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:52
Jack Rathborn
“It’s tough to say,” Lando Norris says.
“None of us have done proper long runs on the tyres that we’re going to be on tomorrow. There’s question marks for all of us but Ferrari have been very good in qualy and long-run pace over the last couple of races.
“It’s going to be tough but we’re in a good position, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Carlos Sainz reacts to pole position at Mexico Grand Prix
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:42
Jack Rathborn
“Very happy and a great couple of laps. A lot of times around Mexico you always have the feeling like you cannot put a lap together and it’s extremely difficult with how much sliding there is.
“But today, honestly my two laps in Q3 were pretty much identical, almost perfect. I just put two really solid laps in Q3, enough for pole, and very happy because that’s not normally the case around Mexico with how tricky it is.”
Lewis Hamilton mistake in Mexico Grand Prix Q3 proves costly
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:32
Jack Rathborn
Lewis Hamilton made a mistake in Q3 which may have cost him a couple of places on the grid for tomorrow’s Mexico Grand Prix.
Hamilton lost time after sliding at the penultimate corner, which saw George Russell pip him for fifth.
It left Toto Wolff frustrated though, with Mercedes four tenths away from pole.
Hamilton did indeed confirm an improvement by announcing on his radio that the car felt “different” from FP3 to qualifying.
Lando Norris reacts to third in qualifying at Mexico Grand Prix
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:22
Jack Rathborn
“It’s always tough to say, but I’m pretty happy with third, honestly.
“I feel like I got to the limit of the car quite quickly, which made us look good. But I struggled to get a lot more out of it in the final two laps.
“Carlos and Max did good laps, especially Carlos has been very quick all weekend. I’m happy with third.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying results
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:15
Jack Rathborn
1) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3) Lando Norris, McLaren
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5) George Russell, Mercedes
6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
7) Kevin Magnussen, Haas
8) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
9) Alex Albon, Williams
10) Nico Hülkenberg, Haas
11) Yuki Tsunoda, RB
12) Liam Lawson, RB
13) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
14) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
15) Valtteri Bottas, Sauber
16) Franco Colapinto, Williams
17) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
18) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
19) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
20) Zhou Guanyu, Sauber
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates as Sainz claims pole!
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:14
Jack Rathborn
Max Verstappen on the pressure of Q3 as he bids for four wins in a row in Mexico: “A lot, yesterday I barely did any laps, we’re playing catch-up.
“My lap time got taken away, it added more pressure, I’m very happy to be on the front row, I didn’t expect that to be possible.
"It's one of the hardest tracks to get right, low down force, it's easy to get a lockout or a slide.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates as Sainz claims pole!
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:08
Jack Rathborn
Here comes Norris... It’s only THIRD!
Verstappen’s only lap launches him onto the front row.
It’s Sainz and Verstappen, then Norris and Leclerc!
Russell and Hamilton on row three. Magnussen outqualifies Gasly and Albon outqualifies Hulkenberg.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:07
Jack Rathborn
1 min to go in Q3
The Ferraris are out and Leclerc starts well, so too Sainz, the Scuderia have timed this well it seems.
Sainz on top and the better of the two red cars, but both drivers looking to defend the top two spots. The Spaniard is taking provisional pole...
1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris, 6. Gasly, 7. Albon, 8. Hulkenberg, 9. Magnussen, 10. Verstappen (out lap)
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:03
Jack Rathborn
3 mins to go in Q3
Here we go, the final laps! Norris is going to be last out, he’ll keep everybody waiting, he runs the risk of yellow or red flags. It’s a gamble as the temperature of the track changes in the coming minutes...
1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris, 6. Gasly, 7. Albon, 8. Hulkenberg, 9. Magnussen, 10. Verstappen (no time)
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 23:01
Jack Rathborn
5 mins to go in Q3
Verstappen has his track time deleted, oh the drama! Track limits proving costly for Red Bull. A phenomenal lap from Max, but it’s no good now. He has another set of new soft tyres.
What a turnaround, Sainz goes into provisional pole, Leclerc second and then the two Mercedes drivers.
1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:58
Jack Rathborn
8 mins to go in Q3
Both Norris and Verstappen driving in Q3 without their teammates. Both on new soft compound tyres...
Leclerc gets a lovely slipstream on Magnussen, that could be crucial.
Verstappen posts 1:16.368 for provisional pole... Norris is well off, six tenths behind his title rival.
1. Verstappen, 2. Norris, 3. Albon, 4. Hulkenberg, 5. Magnussen
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:55
Jack Rathborn
Q3 is underway! 12 mins to go...
A shoot-out for pole and potentially another vital moment in the race for the title, can Norris strike back after the pain of Austin?
Verstappen is one of the first to leave the pit lane, he wants to put a marker down.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:46
Jack Rathborn
End of Q2
A thrilling finale to Q2 then after Tsunoda’s crash into the wall.
Norris is still fastest, but Max is close behind...
The start of Q3 will be delayed, the marshals are out and bidding to quickly fix the barriers at Turn 12.
Top 10 after Q2
1) Lando Norris, McLaren
2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5) George Russell, Mercedes
6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
7) Alex Albon, Williams
8) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
9) Kevin Magnussen, Haas
10) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Eliminated after Q2: Tsunoda, Lawson, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:44
Jack Rathborn
Into the final minute of Q2...
They’re queueing up! But my goodness, RED FLAG!
Tsunoda is in the wall! Not only is he now out, but teammate Lawson and Aston Martin’s Alonso and Stroll are also out. Bottas eliminated too.
Tsunoda lost it on the way in through the back end. The issue started when locking out the front. “Yeah [I’m OK], sorry.”
1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Sainz, 4. Leclerc, 5. Russell
Elimination zone: Tsunoda, Lawson, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:38
Jack Rathborn
2 mins to go in Q2
Lando has landed four poles in the last five races. Max on the front row in his last two races though. Crucially, without Piastri, McLaren is understrength in their battle against Red Bull.
“I’m struggling a lot with the pace,” Perez says after his Q1 exit. “Tomorrow is very important to maximise the day, score some points, it will be a tremendous effort. But it’ll be very difficult.”
1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Albon
Elimination zone: Magnussen, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Bottas and Leclerc...
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:35
Jack Rathborn
5 mins to go in Q2
Lando is purple through S1 and S2... Gaining on Max, he’s two tenths up on his quickest Q1 time and tops the standings.
No time set by Leclerc yet, remember. At turn two he was a little bit cheeky, no contest there on the replays.
1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Sainz
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:33
Jack Rathborn
8 mins to go in Q2
New tyres for Max! “The rear tyres were a bit tricky in sector two... Low grip!”
Leclerc has had his lap time deleted, he went over the white line.
Magnussen trying to reach Q3 for the first time. The Haas locking up well, staying within the track limits.
1. Verstappen, 2. Sainz, 3. Albon, 4. Magnussen, 5. Hulkenberg
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:30
Jack Rathborn
Q2 is underway! 11 mins to go...
Well then, that was quite remarkable, poor old Checo and Piastri will be livid, what on earth happened for the McLaren between FP3 and Q1, disaster!
Just 15 drivers left...
Piastri: “It just went off in turn 12, got beached on the curb, that was it. It’s very frustrating to make that mistake.
“It was about a second. It’s a tricky circuit, it wasn’t down to being tricky, I just made a very poor mistake, that was it.
“We had a similar position for Lando last year, I’ll do my homework how he went through the field and try and do the same.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:23
Jack Rathborn
Q1
Norris tops the session, edging out Sainz by 0.273 seconds.
Piastri, Perez, Colapinto, Ocon and Zhou all OUT!
The McLaren driver really suffered there, an absolute shocker after topping FP3.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:19
Jack Rathborn
1 min to go in Q1
Can Piastri get out of the bottom five? He does, up to 14th, but it might not be enough.
Sergio Perez back down in the bottom five, it’s a dismal outing for the Red Bull star. Piastri is out too! Shocking!
1. Norris, 2. Sainz, 3. Verstappen, 4. Leclerc, 5. Magnussen
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:16
Jack Rathborn
4 mins to go in Q1
This could come down to the last drivers over the line.
McLaren going again on the soft tyres, it could be tight for a lot of drivers here. Piastri struggling once again, this is a stunner from FP3 to Q1...
Russell: “Are we safe?” Mercedes are blunt, “negative”.
Russell, incredulous, replies again: “Negative?” This will be tense, just over three minutes remaining.
Piastri in trouble? How much fuel does he have left? “That lap is deleted for track limits”.
1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Gasly, 4. Hülkenberg, 5. Albon
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:12
Jack Rathborn
6 mins to go in Q1
The stadium section of this track is quite spectacular and Alonso jumps up into the top five briefly.
“Yes, I cannot brake for low speed mate,” Perez says on the Red Bull radio. The track is producing a wild Q1, is anybody safe?
1. Verstappen, 2. Gasly, 3. Hülkenberg, 4. Norris, 5. Tsunoda
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:09
Jack Rathborn
9 mins to go in Q1
A shocker from Piastri, too, what is going on here?
Verstappen on the softs, purple in both sectors one and two... He’s quickest by two tenths.
A lot of understeer from the Dutch driver though.
1. Verstappen, 2. Norris, 3. Sainz, 4. Albon, 5. Colapinto
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:06
Jack Rathborn
12 mins to go in Q1
A little hop, skip and a jump from Checo there, out there on new softs.
The Mexican is roared on by the crowd, Norris not far behind.
The Red Bull is more than a second slower than Sainz, Martin Brundle is not impressed: “Oh dear...that is not particularly fast!”
1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Alonso, 4. Stroll, 5. Bottas
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:01
Jack Rathborn
Here we go then... 18 mins to go in Q1.
Green light is on! No cars in the pit lane just yet... Remember, it’s hot out there, 44 degrees is the track temperature.
It’s 10 degrees hotter than the end of FP3, the drivers will be determined to remain hydrated out there.Here we go then... 18 mins to go in Q1.
Green light is on! No cars in the pit lane just yet... Remember, it’s hot out there, 44 degrees is the track temperature.
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 21:51
Jack Rathborn
“When you get back here, I realise how much support and energy these people give,” Red Bull’s Sergio Perez says.
“I’ve done it so many times, I know the main focus is on the track, the best way to make them happy is to give them a great race.
“It’s important to focus on the track, try to make the right moves, the most I can do is to give my all, I’ll try to do that this time.
“We understood a lot of our issues, the last year and a half, a lack of stability, which the team couldn’t spot where it was, but now it’s clearer, we elimate some of the problems, the car is feeling a lot better. I think we understand where the issue is, I think the next six months or so will be very important to come out on top.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 21:43
Jack Rathborn
Karun Chandhok on Franco Colapinto’s future in F1 after five points in four races since debuting.
“He's done a great job,” the Sky Sports F1 analyst says. “He's proven he deserves to stay, it's a shame there isn't a seat for him at Williams.
“They're keen to help him stay in F1, they want to keep him on a bungee chord. The only way is to let Williams have him on a loan deal, if you're RB, are you keen on that? I don't think it's a simple process.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
Saturday 26 October 2024 21:22
Jack Rathborn
“I’ll believe in it until it’s mathematically impossible, we can overtake the McLaren and the Red Bull as well,” says Charles Leclerc, who can still win the drivers’ championship, even if it is extremely unlikely.
“I mean, never say never. [But] even if we do everything perfectly, I feel like it will require a little bit of luck inside that to try and get that [drivers’] title, and we cannot really rely on luck.
“So, the drivers’ [championship] seems to be quite unlikely. But again, I will believe in it until it’s mathematically impossible.”
Leclerc is 22 points behind Norris, who trails Verstappen by 57 points. The Monegasque would need to win all five of the remaining grand prix, plus the sprint races, with Verstappen finishing on average fifth or worse in every race and setting no more than three fastest laps.
