F1 Mexico Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying times and updates after Sainz beats out Verstappen and Norris
The Ferrari claimed pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez but Max Verstappen held off Lando Norris to claim a place on the front row
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:
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Qualifying updates
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.”
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