Mexico City Grand Prix: Lando Norris starts from third looking for opportunity at first corner, Max Verstappen admits uncertainty about race pace F1 News

Lando Norris has made it clear that the beginning of Sunday’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix is ​​his “greatest likelihood” to grab the race lead – the longest distance to the primary nook of the yr – as he Realistically wanted to tie Marquez on this sport.

Championship challenger Norris will begin from third on the grid, 57 factors behind championship chief Verstappen, for the second time within the final 9 races after a tense efficiency at Rodriguez Motorsport. In qualifying, he narrowly misplaced to his rival Crimson Bull.

However each world title contenders had been upstaged by the spectacular Carlos Sainz, who took pole place by two-tenths of a second to present Ferrari a one-two lead in the USA. Returning to the grid simply six days after the race.

Recreation begins at 8pm, preparations begin at 6:30pm, reside broadcast Sky Sports activities F1 and sky sports activities foremost occasion.

Norris, who was pushed to the entrance by his Crimson Bull rivals by 0.089 seconds, admitted McLaren had but to reply Ferrari’s tempo this weekend and subsequently knew the significance of constructing progress firstly on a monitor the place overtaking could be tough in any other case. .

“It is powerful, the Ferrari could be very quick,” Norris advised Sky Sports activities F1 After qualifying for this weekend’s Battlefront Problem.

“Even for those who take a look at final weekend, they had been sooner in qualifying after which sooner within the race.

“We haven’t any proof in the mean time that we’ll be a lot sooner than them within the race, so the primary nook, the primary lap will probably be our greatest likelihood.”

There’s a distance of 768 meters between the entrance of the grid and the opening curve of the monitor. It’s a tight right-hand bend that creates a robust slipstream for the vehicles behind and might function the important thing to instant overtaking and getting into the primary braking zone. slingshot.

Three of the final 4 winners in Mexico Metropolis have come from Norris’ third place on the grid.

The Briton added: “If we are able to get off to a very good begin, hopefully it is going to be thrilling by Flip One.”

Norris will not be satisfied, given Ferrari’s efficiency in Mexico thus far, that even a robust begin could be sufficient to beat Sainz over your entire race distance.

“Ferrari are doing very properly in the mean time,” he added. “They did a very good job and Carlos put in some actually good laps on the finish, however I could not have been three and a half tenths sooner than him.

“I believe we anticipated them to be in all probability just a little bit sooner than we’re proper now, however we positively have plenty of different vehicles to attempt to beat that we have to beat.”

Verstappen avoids main setback…however stays cautious of race

The motive force Norris must beat most is, in fact, Verstappen.

The defending champion prolonged his factors lead by a doubtlessly essential 5 factors in Austin’s controversial race, suppressing a string of wins from his McLaren rivals in earlier races and Verstappen’s victory on Saturday. Spectacular avoidance of recent setbacks in title protection.

The Dutchman was restricted to operating in Friday’s observe resulting from engine issues, requiring a Crimson Bull energy unit alternative for the rest of the weekend, after which struggled with the automobile’s dealing with in Saturday’s ultimate observe session.

But it surely would not be the primary time that Verstappen carried out properly in qualifying, scoring nice runs in key moments and guaranteeing he takes the entrance row for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Nonetheless, the Dutchman admitted his lack of operating on the opening day may nonetheless have had an affect on his efficiency within the 71-lap race as he missed out on the high-fuel run.

Questioner Sky Sports activities F1 Requested how he felt on Sunday, Verstappen replied: “Final yr, I might have stated ‘yeah, no downside’.

“However this yr I believe we’ve not been probably the most aggressive in current video games, in order that’s one thing now we have to work on.

“However I haven’t got plenty of understanding of that as a result of Friday is all the time an enormous day to grasp that. We do not have that in any respect, so I believe it should be a studying train after some time and perhaps we are able to get it proper for the second time. and changes from that time ahead.

Verstappen has received 5 of the previous six Mexico Metropolis Grands Prix, solely one among which got here from pole place.

Sainz: I had much less to lose firstly of the race than the championship pair Vasseur: We targeted on the tempo of the race

Of the highest three on the grid, Sainz is undoubtedly the one with probably the most confidence heading into Saturday evening’s race.

The Spaniard, who has 5 races left as Ferrari driver earlier than Lewis Hamilton joins the group in 2025, will problem Williams and he took the profession title in domineering type within the third quarter. The sixth pole place of his profession and the primary since final yr’s Singapore Grand Prix.

He was quick sufficient to guide each laps within the battle for pole place.

Whereas the historical past books could present that Mexico’s pole-sitter had received simply three of the earlier eight races for the reason that nation rejoined the calendar in 2015, Sainz backed himself up from the begin to fend off late-slip rivals. threaten.

“Comparatively assured as a result of I do know my race tempo must be good,” stated Sainz, who’s in search of his first race win for the reason that Australian Grand Prix in April.

“In all probability the largest issue goes into Flip One and beginning on the slipstream, is not it? However I believe you may nonetheless defend, you may nonetheless maintain on going into Flip One and begin from pole, and that will probably be my purpose.

“I simply want to verify I get a very good rating from 0-100 [kph]that is an important factor while you begin on pole, simply ensure you soar properly.

“From there, I’m clearly going to do my greatest to defend.”

Sainz famous that his two closest pursuers had been each within the title race whereas he was not, including: “There are two guys behind me who’re combating for one thing crucial, going into flip one. The method must be attention-grabbing.

“In that sense, I clearly have much less to lose and I’ll guarantee that I attempt to keep in first place.”

If Sainz does keep his beginning benefit via the tight first nook, he could also be hard-pressed to catch – particularly contemplating Ferrari group principal Frederic Vasseur has stated the group has truly examined the SF-24 Extra settings carry out sooner over longer race distances than qualifying.

“We weren’t noticeably extra targeted on tempo earlier than, so this is superb information for us,” Vassell advised us. Sky Sports activities F1.

“We weren’t anticipating pole place, we had been extra targeted on [Sunday].

Two wins within the final 4 races put Ferrari into rivalry for its first constructors’ title since 2008. , and was the one one among three groups to have each drivers on the entrance of the grid.

Whereas Charles Leclerc can be in rivalry for fourth, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Crimson Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez are tied for backside after crashing out of the primary spherical. Second row.

“We’ve got the benefit of not being detected,” Vasseur instructed.

“The dialogue was extra concerning the battle between Lando and Max and Zach. [Brown] and christianity [Horner]between Mercedes and I do not know who – for me it is good.

“Let’s preserve our heads down and deal with what we’re doing.”

Sky Sports activities F1 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix reside schedule

Sunday, October 27
6.30pm: Sunday Grand Prix: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix preparation*
8pm: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix*
10pm: Checkered Flag: Reactions to Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix

*Additionally reside on Sky Sports activities Primary Occasion (sport begins at 7.30pm on Sunday)

The Formulation One Americas tripleheader continues with the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix on Sunday at 8pm, broadcast reside on Sky Sports activities F1 and Sky Sports activities Primary Occasion. Watch every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Monthly Membership – no contract, cancel anytime