P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What a thrilling qualifying that was, with shocks galore and a red flag thrown in for good measure.
Carlos Sainz secured pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix qualifying after breaking a 13-month pole drought, with Max Verstappen starting second on the grid. McLaren’s Lando Norris qualified third, followed by Charles Leclerc in fourth. Sainz’s pole position is his first since the 2020 Singapore Grand Prix. Behind the front row, Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton locked out the third row. Haas duo Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg secured seventh and tenth positions, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Williams’ Alex Albon in between them.
During the hot qualifying session, track temperatures rose by 10 degrees Celsius, leading to rapid track evolution and surprising eliminations. Oscar Piastri and Sergio Perez were knocked out in Q1, with Piastri’s lap deleted due to exceeding track limits. Perez, struggling with confidence, qualified 18th, with Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu behind him. McLaren’s Norris shined in Q2, setting the fastest time, nearly three-tenths ahead of Sainz. Overall, the session was filled with shocks and unexpected outcomes, setting the stage for an exciting race at Mexico City.
