F1 Mexico Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying schedule and start time as Lando Norris eyes pole over Max Verstappen
F1 live updates from the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as Verstappen bids to strengthen his position against Norris, with McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari locked in a three-way battle for the constructors’ title
The F1 season resumes in Mexico City this weekend, following the highly contentious battle in Austin between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, who has won five of the last six races here.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosts the Mexican Grand Prix in round 20 of the 2024 season with plenty up for grabs across the final five races.
Charles Leclerc produced a sensational drive to claim victory at the US Grand Prix with Ferrari impressing with a one-two thanks to Carlos Sainz.
The Scuderia are contending a fierce battle with McLaren and Red Bull for the constructors’ championship, with qualifying set to be vital here. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will bid to banish a nightmare weekend last time out in Texas.
Follow live updates from the Mexican Grand Prix with The Independent
David Coulthard rips McLaren over ‘excuses’ and ‘naïve’ Verstappen v Norris strategy
“My position was that whoever is ahead at what I define as the apex, has the right to control the corner,” David Coulthard said on the Formula For Success podcast.
“And if I put myself on the outside of Michael [Schumacher], right, what do I think is going to happen? If I’m slightly behind and I put myself on the outside, he’s going to push me off the track. Of course he is. That’s exactly what Max is going to do. The fact that Max then ran a little bit beyond the white line, actually, the point at which you are when you arrive at the apex, is what defines it. In the case of George, who was given the penalty, he was behind as they went through the apex, and then took a wider line, which forced the other car wide. So that’s why he was given the penalty.
“So for me, it’s absolutely clear, and I think that McLaren made a mistake in not saying to Lando, ‘Give the place back, pass him somewhere else’, because he had the pace to do it. And then complaining afterwards, ‘Oh, there’s rules for one, there’s rules for another’, join a long line of people who complain and make excuses. You count the winners by the chequered flag, assuming there’s no penalties afterwards.
“So, I think it was a brilliant bit of aggressive, strategic understanding of the rules by Max, and it was a slightly naïve position from McLaren. And Lando, on the in-lap I believe, and I can’t say word for word, kind of asked: ‘Why didn’t we give the place back?’ He was in the car present, but he was, at the moment, trusting in what the team were saying, and trusting in the fact that they’d both gone off, so therefore he should be able to keep the position. But of course, he doesn’t know the relative placing of the cars as they ran through the apex.”
Lewis Hamilton reacts to LMVH deal worth reported $1b to F1
“All I hope is that, there probably isn’t, but I hope that there’s an impact element to that deal,” Lewis Hamilton said on the mega deal.
“Because it’s two huge organisations making a crazy amount of money in a year. It shouldn’t be about how much more money we can make, it should be about what impact we can make with this partnership?
“I bet anyone it’s not the case. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised but I really hope that would be in the conversations.”
Franco Colapinto to VCARB next season?
Franco Colapinto is calm on his F1 future despite speculation he could join VCARB next season.
If Colapinto joined Red Bull’s junior team alongside Yuki Tsunoda, then Liam Lawson would link up with Red Bull next to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could find himself out in the cold.
“We see it with Colapinto,” the Argentine youngster told Motorsport-Total. “As a relatively inexperienced and not very successful guy in the junior series, although it must be said that he never had the top teams, but what an incredible performance he is having now.
“I think he has a long-term contract with Williams. He will definitely be someone in the future. What he showed was very, very good.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Toto Wolff opens up on Mercedes struggles
"We had a few big, big shunts in the last few races. The mechanics have done an incredible job, the chassis was damaged, the mood is up and down. It's difficult to read,” says Toto Wolff.
"The story of the year for us, the car has a very narrow band when it functions well. When it was cold, pre-summer, high-speed track, Silverstone and Spa, we're quickest. Cold temperatures are good for us.
"When you heat it right, we can be very quick on a single lap, over the long haul, third or fourth. The worst part [about the schedule] is for the men and women in the garage. It's rough.
"Lewis, in particular, said the car is good. It's pretty close, outside of the outliers of the McLaren. He [Hamilton] is in a good spot. We need a few details, then we’ll see in qualifying where we stand. The car is well-balanced. They’re capable of pushing it more.”
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - Countdown to qualifying
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 latest updates
FP3 concludes and it’s a big boost for the papaya...
Piastri outpaces Norris by six-hundredths of a second.
Ferrari had the pace early on, but McLaren with the soft tyres sizzled... They’ve gapped the field and have half a second on their nearest rival: Carlos Sainz and the Ferrari.
1. Piastri - 1:16.492, 2. Norris - +0.059, 3. Sainz - +0.340, 4. Verstappen - +0.511, 5. Hamilton - +0.568
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 latest updates
2 mins to go
Verstappen is not happy, a classic rant from the Red Bull star, who bemoans a lack of grip.
Just two minutes remaining and the world champion stays fourth fastest, two tenths slower than his best of the session so far.
It’s no time to panic for Red Bull, who might have been sampling a different set-up, but all is not well with Checo down in 14th, much to the disdain of the home support here.
1. Piastri, 2. Norris, 3. Sainz, 4. Verstappen, 5. Hamilton
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 latest updates, Lewis Hamilton stunned by McLaren pace
10 mins to go
Lewis Hamilton is shocked by the McLaren speed, he goes fourth and appears delighted, before being informed that Piastri is more than half a second faster.
The Mercedes star says: “That was a decent lap, **** they're quick!”
1. Piastri, 2. Norris, 3. Sainz, 4. Verstappen, 5. Hamilton
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 latest updates
13 mins to go
Better from Max Verstappen, on some new soft tyres, as he goes fastest with a 1:17.003, a bit of a statement to leapfrog the Ferraris.
Verstappen thriving in the middle sector, but he’ll still want to ease some concerns on the slow-speed corners. Remember, he went 1:17.800 last year here.
But Norris with a stunning time, quickly followed by Piastri, the McLarens more than half a second faster than Verstappen.
1. Piastri, 2. Norris, 3. Verstappen, 4. Hamilton, 5. Sainz
Mexico Grand Prix 2024 - FP3 latest updates
16 mins to go
Now then, is this ominous for the rest? Ferrari stretch their advantage.
Sainz and Leclerc, on the soft tyres still, go 1:17.334 and 1:17.430...
The gap to the rest is more than 0.500 seconds.
1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Tsunoda, 4. Norris, 5. Colapinto
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