F1, Mexico GP: Max Verstappen on pole, Charles Leclerc in trouble and 7th
First career pole on a new circuit on one hand, worst qualifying of the year on the other.
Max Verstappen will start on pole position in the Mexican Grand Prix, on a circuit where he has already won twice but had never beaten everyone in qualifying. Behind him are the reborn Mercedes of a very disappointed George Russell (very competitive and the author of a last-lap mistake) and Lewis Hamilton. Then home hero Sergio Perez, in the second Red Bull, and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz fifth. Only seventh, however, was Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque of Ferrari right in Mexico found the worst qualifying of his season (net of those affected by penalties), beaten also by the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas. For him, numerous rear-end management problems, also due to the Cavallino’s tactic of favoring a setup useful for gaining positions in the race rather than standing out in qualifying.
Mexican Grand Prix 2022, the starting grid:
1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:17.775 5
2 George RUSSELL Mercedes +0.304 6
3 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +0.309 6
4 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +0.353 6
5 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.576 5
6 Valtteri BOTTAS Alfa Romeo +0.626 6
7 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.780 5
8 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.946 6
9 Fernando ALONSO Alpine +1.164 5
10 Esteban OCON Alpine +1.235 6
11 Daniel RICCIARDO McLaren- – 4
12 Guanyu ZHOU Alfa Romeo- – 4
13 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri- – 4
14 Pierre GASLY AlphaTauri- – 4
15 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas F1 Team- – – 4
16 Mick SCHUMACHER Haas F1 Team- – – 2
17 Sebastian VETTEL Aston Martin- – – 2
18 Lance STROLL Aston Martin- – – 2
19 Alexander ALBON Williams- – 2
20 Nicholas LATIFI Williams- – 2
