2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, time trial

2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, time trial

Qualifying practice for the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix began in slightly cloudy weather, with an air temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and an asphalt temperature of 44 degrees. In advance, it seemed that McLaren could be the favorite, as their pair, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, entered the third free practice session with a significant advantage.


A Q1 am several tried to pass the best teams on medium tires. Ferraris, McLarens and Mercedes also got Pirelli with yellow sidewalls, but it was uncertain whether this was really feasible. However, their time was still better than many, Sergio Perez with Red Bull, for example, ran an excruciatingly weak first time, not enough time to advance.

The track accelerated almost constantly, and there were names in the front in the middle of the stage that we were not used to at the front. It was not a viable option to further torment the medium tires, all the top teams returned to the softs. Even so, advancing was not easy due to the closeness of the field and the relatively easy opportunities for mistakes, one or two tenths of a second could mean a difference of 5-6 positions.

Piastri also suffered with McLaren at the end of Q1, a lap was taken away from the Australian. Three minutes before the end of the stage, they shared the last row with Perez, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had the last qualifying time. Piastri ran for him on used softs at the end and improved, but within half a minute he was out again. Perez was no better than him, so together they fell back among the slowest. They said goodbye to Franco Colapinto (Williams), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Csou Kuan-jü (Kick Sauber) at the same time.

A Q2-t Ferrari started slightly weaker through Leclerc. He had a mistake in the middle sector, but it was really unimportant because he was timed for leaving the track. With McLaren standing still, Norris excelled: he won in Q1 with an advantage of 27 hundredths of a second, and also started this stage with a lead of three tenths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Leclerc solved the obligation, not leaving his attempt to the last moment. He did this well, as in the final moments, Juki Cunoda put the RB (VCARB) car into the wall in the final sector, bringing out the red flag and ending Q2. The Japanese driver braked on the rock, which turned out to be a critical mistake. This eliminated him, his teammate Liam Lawson, the two Aston Martins, and Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber).

A Q3-as after the first laps, Sainz was leading, beating Norris’ best Q2 lap to date, while the Brit left 6 tenths of a second on his lap. Ferrari’s resurrection was topped off by Leclerc, although the overall picture includes the fact that Verstappen’s lap was also taken away due to a track cut. The Ferraris were followed by the Mercedes in order of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, followed only by Norris. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) was then sixth ahead of Alexander Albon (Williams) and the two Haas drivers, Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

In the final stretch, the two Ferraris continued to improve, but the order did not change between them. However, Verstappen and Norris separated them, the Dutchman ahead of his British rival. With this, the starting order of the front row was formed, because the Mercedes did not have a say in this match. Sainz took the first pole position of his F1 career this year.

The complete list of results

The 2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix starts on Sunday at 21:00 Hungarian time.



Source: www.vezess.hu