Qualifying Drama for Piastri and Verstappen in Mexico: 'It's Mysterious'

Lando Norris continued his strong practice performance, clinching pole position in Mexico City, while his championship rivals struggled. Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader, qualified a disappointing eighth, significantly behind his McLaren teammate and closest rival, Norris. "It feels okay, but there's no pace. It's somehow mysterious, and I've had the same gap all weekend," a perplexed Piastri admitted. Norris, despite missing the first practice session, quickly found his rhythm and secured pole by over four-tenths of a second.

Why it matters:

• Norris's dominant qualifying performance sets the stage for a potential championship lead change. He currently trails Piastri by 14 points, and a Sunday finish maintaining their qualifying positions would see Norris take a seven-point lead.
• The struggles of championship frontrunners Piastri and Verstappen add an unpredictable element to Sunday's race, opening opportunities for other teams, particularly Ferrari, to capitalize.

The Details:

• Norris's Dominance: Lando Norris secured pole position with a time of 1:15.586, showcasing exceptional pace despite missing the first practice session.
• Piastri's Struggles: Oscar Piastri qualified eighth, admitting a lack of pace and finding it "mysterious" given his consistent struggles throughout the weekend.
• Verstappen's Challenge: Red Bull's Max Verstappen, a five-time winner in Mexico, managed only fifth on the grid. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes a podium finish is the maximum achievable for Verstappen, citing a loss of two-tenths in Sector 2 alone.
• Ferrari's Ascent: Charles Leclerc qualified second, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in third, marking Ferrari's best qualifying performance of the season with both drivers in the top three. This confirms their upward trend after strong finishes in Austin.
  • Leclerc: 1:15.848 (+0.262s)
  • Hamilton: 1:15.938 (+0.352s)
• Hülkenberg Outperforms Bortoleto: Nico Hülkenberg qualified 13th, making it into Q2 and once again outperforming his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto for the fourth consecutive qualifying session.

What's next:

Sunday's Mexico Grand Prix, starting at 21:00 CET, promises an exciting race with Norris aiming to convert his pole into a championship lead. Verstappen will face a challenging climb from fifth, needing to overcome George Russell and the two strong Ferrari cars to reach the podium. Ferrari's confirmed upswing could see them contend for significant points, further complicating the championship battle.