Mexico – Qualifications: Ricciardo snatches pole from Verstappen, title rivals on the second row

After three practice sessions in which Max Verstappen dominated the field in various conditions, the qualifying session begins on a track dried out by the running of Free Practice 3.

Pierre Gasly, relegated to the back of the grid following an engine change, is the first to hit the track on hyper-soft tires.

🚥 GREEN LIGHT 🚥

Q1 is underway in Mexico! Gasly is first to hit the track

Follow live timing and text commentary here> https://t.co/MddmLh2Nm7#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/a310qsmvZ9

— Formula 1 (@F1) 27 octobre 2018

Subjected to significant degradation in warm conditions, the hyper-soft tire seems to better withstand the cooler temperatures of this Saturday in Mexico. Valtteri Bottas is part of the first wave of drivers to head out on the track, likely to ensure the motor installed by Mercedes is working well following his hydraulic failure in free practice 3. Sebastian Vettel quickly sets the fastest time at 1:16.089, ahead of his teammate, the two Mercedes drivers, and the two Saubers. However, the two Silver Arrows are on ultra-softs.

At mid-session, Daniel Ricciardo set a new track record at 1:15.866, instantly beaten by his Dutch teammate by 110 milliseconds.

Following a track limits infringement, Fernando Alonso sees his initial time annulled by the stewards, with less than 5 minutes remaining on the clock. Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton improve the session’s best time, with the Finn leading the way. Times drop in the final minutes, and many drivers believe they are safe before falling into the five eliminated positions.

Eliminated in Q1: Grosjean, Vandorme, Magnussen, Stroll, Sirotkin

Q1 CLASSIFICATION

Bottas ends the session P1 with a new track record 💪

Both Haas cars, both Williams, and Vandoorne drop out#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/aOAUx61b9p

— Formula 1 (@F1) 27 octobre 2018

For Q2, Hamilton, Vettel, Bottas, and Räikkönen set the best times on ultra-softs, ahead of the two Renault drivers. However, Max Verstappen quickly takes the best time by 4 thousandths while his teammate takes 4th place. The last four places in the top 10 are for the two Renaults, followed by the two Sauber drivers. At Force India, they close the march in eleventh and twelfth place, on super-soft tires, the hardest compound offered this weekend. A different strategy for the Roses, who are betting everything on the race. Brendon Hartley disrupts this strategy, however, by taking eleventh place with hyper-soft tires, which will give him the choice at the start. Fernando Alonso occupies the fourteenth time, while Pierre Gasly does not take to the track.

In the final minutes, the top drivers go out on hyper-soft tires to get their marks before the last qualifying session. At Force India, they finally switch to ultra-soft tires, but that wasn’t enough to make it to Q3. Nevertheless, both drivers will have the choice of tires for the start, behind the two Renaults and Saubers that will start on hyper-softs.

Eliminated in Q2: Ocon, Alonso, Perez, Hartley, Gasly

Q2 CLASSIFICATION

Verstappen tops the session, just 0.004s ahead of Hamilton 😱

Both cars from Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault and Sauber go to Q3!#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Oodd4GpVyr

— Formula 1 (@F1) 27 octobre 2018

Q3 starts, and the drivers can finally show their car at the limit. Sebastian Vettel sets a 1:14.970, and leads Lewis Hamilton by 52 thousandths after their first run. Daniel Ricciardo also falls short by 60 thousandths, but one man sets everyone straight! Max Verstappen sets a new absolute track record with 1:14.785, nearly 2 tenths faster than his pursuers. Behind the top 6, Charles Leclerc is seventh ahead of Hülkenberg, Sainz, and Ericsson.

Verstappen goes even quicker!

The Dutchman takes provisional pole with a 1:14.785 😱#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/5vGMOYZShl

— Formula 1 (@F1) 27 octobre 2018

There are only three minutes left when the top drivers return to the track, and it’s a small train of single-seaters following each other out of the pits.

In the top 6, Daniel Ricciardo significantly improves his lap and sets the fastest time ahead of Max Verstappen, who does not improve! Only Lewis Hamilton also manages to improve his time and takes 3rd place. The two title contenders will start on the second row, behind an all-Red Bull front row.

Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz are ahead of Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson, who completes the top 10.

Q3 CLASSIFICATION

It's @redbullracing's first 1-2 in qualifying since USA 2013!

The title rivals will line up next to one another on the second row 👀#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/QafdT1vkb1

— Formula 1 (@F1) 27 octobre 2018