Featured in 2016 Mexican Grand Prix It offers a magnificent and colorful festival in the stands every year with one of the most enthusiastic and passionate fans of the calendar. It also creates great difficulties Autódromo de los Hermanos Rodríguez’s altitude is on the track conditioned by high temperatures and the priority given to engines over aerodynamics. With many variables, including a large reward Max Verstappen He always ranks as the biggest favorite in all pools. The three-time champion was at the top of the ‘poster’, challenging for pole position after leading three free sessions and winning “brutally” over his teammate. National idol Sergio Pérez, however, eventually took pole position for Ferrari and he too took over the front row on the grid. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. A bolt from the blue.
Norris, knockout first
Qualifying marked another pole for Verstappen, who qualified in eleventh, but made the battle between Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren clearer than ever. Even Albon and Williams managed to impress in free practice. Max started the first quarter (1.18.099) ahead but knew that the rapid improvement on the track would mean his first attempt would be in vain. McLaren’s crash forced Norris out of the race at the first opportunity, which was quite a surprise. The Briton, aiming for a fifth consecutive podium finish, had his life complicated when he found himself relegated to the back of the grid. Ocon, Magnussen, Stroll and Sargeant also fell. Alonso made it to Q2 despite a spectacular comeback that prevented him from improving his lap.
The second qualifying round started under ‘threat’ as many drivers, including Alonso, Russell and Verstappen, blocked their rivals’ exit from pitlane. The magnificent stands of ‘Foro Sol’ roared with every lap Checo scored and fell silent when Max activated the ‘breaker’ to beat the Mexican. The Dutchman was ‘flying’ and dropped his best time to four tenths (1.17.625), almost half a second behind his team-mate.
Aston Martin is shaking
Verstappen completed his task in the second quarter and returned to the penalty area, and Hamilton seized the opportunity to improve his time by 54 per thousand (1.17.575). Sainz struggled to clear the hurdle for the tenth time and crashed along with Alonso, Tsunoda, Albon, Gasly and Hülkenberg.
The Halloween ‘terror’ is firmly established at Aston Martin, which looks destined to suffer this late in the season. Although the Silverstone fans’ luck has gone wrong since Friday in Austin, the aerodynamic package introduced on Hermanos Rodríguez a week ago does not seem to have the results they expected.
Alonso arrived in Mexico with a clear mission: to optimize the improvements on his car (floor, sidepods and diffuser) in the three free sessions he did not have in the United States; There was only one grand prix practice here. in sprint format. He failed. After a highly secretive free practice session (the 20th and last on Friday), Fernando found himself out of Q3 once again this Saturday. In Austin, Asturian’s winning streak was broken; After 17 races he was the only man on the grid to always reach the decisive lap. He now has two eliminations.
Maximum, under pressure
Leclerc and Sainz gave the ‘bell’ by taking the two fastest places in the first lap of the pole position race; With Verstappen a tenth behind, Ricciardo unleashed the ‘madness’ by taking fourth place in the Alpha Tauri pits. Mercedes before the last attempt.
This put the three-time champion under pressure and he was forced to take a risk on his final return. And it didn’t get any better. Leclerc ranked fourth this year with a time of 1.17.166. He is followed by teammate Carlos Sainz, who is only 67 thousandths behind. And both are behind Verstappen, who will be looking for air at the start tomorrow to break the record of 17 wins in a single season. “It was a strange session and I did the best lap of the weekend in Q3, when it mattered and I didn’t expect it at all,” admitted Sainz, as stunned as the rest.