Mexico City GP: Title Rivals Verstappen and Norris Eye Victory

Mexico City Grand Prix, title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will start from second and third on the grid. They are behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who secured pole position. Verstappen heads into the race with a 57-point lead over Norris. To overtake him in the remaining five Grands Prix, Norris needs to average just under 12 points per race. Norris qualified just 0.089 seconds slower than Verstappen.

However, Sainz secured pole position with a commanding 0.225-second lead, showcasing Ferrari’s recent surge in performance. Charles Leclerc, fresh off a victory in the United States Grand Prix starts fourth ahead of Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The race will feature a long run to the first corner, making the slipstream effect crucial for those starting in second and third.

Historically, the winner has started from third on the grid in three of the last four races. Norris aims to enhance his title hopes by securing a victory and hopes Ferrari drivers will finish between him and Verstappen. However, he has expressed concerns about the pace of the Ferraris. Meanwhile, the race backdrop involves discussions about racing rules following a controversial penalty issued to Norris during the last Grand Prix.

Drivers are eager to see how the stewards will judge similar incidents in the upcoming race. Verstappen, pleased to qualify on the front row after a challenging Friday expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress.  Norris was pleased with his third-place finish despite struggling in the final qualifying session. Unfortunately, his teammate Oscar Piastri, got knocked out early in qualifying.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez continued to face performance issues, finishing in 18th place. Russell surprised everyone by claiming fifth after crashing in practice. In his 400th Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso qualified 13th and lamented a red flag that affected his qualifying time. The Mexico City Grand Prix promises an exciting race with potential for unexpected outcomes and strategic battles.