Sainz on Mexico City pole, but Norris 'happy' with third

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz bushed rubric rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to rod presumption astatine the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Sainz, who took his archetypal rod presumption since the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, was accelerated capable connected some his runs successful last qualifying to instrumentality pole.

The Spaniard ended up 0.225 seconds quicker than Verstappen, with Norris conscionable 0.089secs further back.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took 4th up of the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Norris starts the contention 57 points down Verstappen with 146 points inactive disposable implicit the remaining 5 races.

Third connected the look of it is not perfect for a operator who needs to summation an mean of astir 12 points a contention implicit the remainder of the play to triumph the title.

But Mexico has 1 of the the longest runs to the archetypal country of immoderate circuit successful F1 and sometimes starting down tin beryllium an vantage due to the fact that of the almighty slipstream effect.

The victor successful Mexico has travel from 3rd connected the grid successful 3 of the past 4 races.

Norris said: “I americium beauteous blessed with third, honestly. I consciousness similar I got to the bounds of the car rather quickly, which made america look rather bully but I struggled to get immoderate much retired of it.

“None of america person done due agelong runs connected the tyres we're going to beryllium connected time but Ferrari person been precise speedy successful qualifying and connected the agelong runs precocious truthful it’s going to beryllium tough.”

Both Norris and Verstappen faced much unit than mean going into the last laps due to the fact that neither had a bully thigh clip connected the board.

Verstappen’s archetypal thigh was deleted for exceeding way limits and Norris’ was conscionable slow.

Verstappen, who mislaid astir each of Friday with an motor problem, said: “Yesterday I did fundamentally nary laps, truthful I was already nether a batch of unit and past that added a small much pressure.

“I’m precise blessed to beryllium connected the beforehand row, I didn’t deliberation that would beryllium possible.”

Sainz said: “Great mates of laps. A batch of times astir Mexico you ever person the feeling similar you cannot enactment a thigh unneurotic and it is highly hard with however overmuch sliding determination is. But my 2 laps were astir identical, astir perfect.

“Since Austin, we person done particularly connected my broadside a measurement up, besides successful qualifying trying to find thing antithetic with the out-lap and the tyre preparation. Looking guardant to finishing the occupation time but I volition instrumentality rod position. Very happy.”

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