Mexican GP final practice and qualifying

By: Geoff Creighton

Summary


	Verstappen takes pole for Red Bull as Bottas crashes in dying moments of Q3
	Leclerc second for Ferrari ahead of Vettel and Hamilton
	Perez, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Giovinazzi eliminated in Q2
	Stroll, Magnussen, Grosjean, Russell and Kubica knocked out in Q1
	Kvyat and Ricciardo under investigation over Q1 pitlane incident

Status: Stopped

22:42 Here's tonight's qualifying report! We'll see you tomorrow for the race, so join us then!

Verstappen takes surprise F1 Mexican GP pole after Bottas crashes

Max Verstappen claimed a surprise pole position for Formula 1's 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, outpacing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc by 0.266 seconds, as Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas crashed late in Q3

22:15

22:05 Verstappen: "It's been quite an interesting day, but to come out on top is incredible. We know Ferrari is quick on the straight, but to come back like this, big thanks to the team."

22:05 That's only Verstappen's second F1 pole - hard to believe, isn't it?

22:03 It's a big knock for Bottas, and he was breathing quite heavily there. He's out of the car, thankfully.

22:02 Bottas found the wall coming out of the final corner, that's quite a hefty one there.

22:02 Final Q3 results: 1 Verstappen, 2 Leclerc, 3 Vettel, 4 Hamilton, 5 Albon, 6 Bottas, 7 Sainz, 8 Norris, 9 Kvyat, 10 Gasly.

22:01 Hamilton found a bit more laptime but stays fourth, while Bottas has crashed!

22:01 Verstappen has, and it's a 1m14.758s, good enough for a superb commanding pole position.

22:01 Indeed, Verstappen takes two tenths out of them in the second sector - and neither Leclerc, nor Vettel have improved across the line!

22:00 Chequered flag. Vettel and Leclerc are faster than Verstappen again in the first sector, but they might not have enough in hand.

21:58 Verstappen leaves it later than any of the other Q3 participants to head out.

21:57 This is exciting, isn't it? Three teams with a genuine tilt at pole, isn't that something we've all been waiting for?

21:57 Under three minutes left on the clock, and Norris becomes the first driver sent out for a second run in Q3.

21:54 Current order: 1 Verstappen, 2 Leclerc, 3 Vettel, 4 Hamilton, 5 Albon, 6 Bottas, 7 Sainz, 8 Kvyat, 9 Gasly, 10 Norris.

21:53 Albon splits the two closely-matched Mercedes cars in fifth, nicking the spot from Bottas by 0.002s. All in all, it's a top five separated by 0.426s, so that's nice.

21:53 And it's Verstappen who takes an initial provisional pole with a 1m14.910s. Leclerc is 0.114s down, Vettel is another tenth and a half off in third.

21:52 Vettel is quickest of all in the first sector, but surrenders a fair chunk of time to Verstappen in the second sector.

21:52 It's an initial 1m16.890s from Kvyat, which is a quarter of a second up on Gasly and half a second up on Norris. Sainz, however, then pips Kvyat with a 1m16.743s.

21:51 Vettel, Albon, Leclerc and Verstappen are all strangely grouped up coming out of the pits, which surely isn't helping anyone. The two Mercedes cars are further ahead on the road.

21:49 The Kvyat/Ricciardo pitlane incident will be investigated after the session. Kvyat got P9 in that session, the same as the number of goals Southampton conceded in last night's match against Leicester.

21:49 The McLarens and the Toro Rossos get us underway, while the pole contenders remain in the pits for now.

21:48 And now, Q3 time. The 12-minute countdown has begun.

21:45 That's 2x Mercedes, 2x Ferraris, 2x Red Bulls, 2x McLarens and 2x Toro Rossos in the final part of qualifying.

21:43 Perez missed out on a Q3 berth by just 0.008s, pipped at the post by Gasly.

21:41 Advancing to Q3: 1 Hamilton, 2 Bottas, 3 Vettel, 4 Verstappen, 5 Leclerc, 6 Sainz, 7 Norris, 8 Albon, 9 Kvyat, 10 Gasly.

21:41 Eliminated: 11 Perez, 12 Hulkenberg, 13 Ricciardo, 14 Raikkonen, 15 Giovinazzi.

21:41 Out front, Hamilton and Bottas have improved to first and second place on mediums. All the top-team soft-tyre runners are backing out of their laps.

21:40 Kvyat and Gasly also move into the top 10 as the chequered flag flies.

21:40 Sainz moves up to fourth place with his first attempt on the softs, that's Q3 surely secured.

21:38 It's softs for the Alfas, the Renaults, the McLarens and the Toro Rossos (and Perez) for this second run. The big six are split but will all surely look to start on mediums.

21:34 Both Toro Rossos are in the pits, 14th and 15th after laps on mediums. Will they go out on softs, or is this an elaborate game-plan?

21:33 On course to advance: 1 Vettel, 2 Verstappen, 3 Leclerc, 4 Bottas, 5 Hamilton, 6 Albon (all mediums), 7 Perez, 8 Hulkenberg, 9 Norris, 10 Ricciardo (all softs).

21:32 Current drop zone: 11 Sainz (mediums), 12 Giovinazzi, 13 Raikkonen, 14 Gasly (mediums), 15 Kvyat (mediums).

21:32 "Sometimes the car feels like it's on a handbrake" reports Albon, struggling a little in this session.

21:32 Bottas moves up to fourth place, just under a tenth up on Hamilton. That should be the medium tyre secured as the starting compound for the top six.

21:31 Norris slots in between the two Renaults, and is just marginally quicker than Sainz - who was supposedly on mediums to his team-mate's softs.

21:30 Verstappen splits the two Ferraris, while Albon is four tenths slower and completes the current top five.

21:29 Leclerc comes across the line three tenths down on Vettel, while the two Renaults are both around 1.2s off the pace on softs.