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2023 F1 Mexico GP qualifying results: Leclerc takes pole

Leclerc will start ahead of his team-mate Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

Mexico Grand Prix grid: Leclerc on pole from Sainz

Cla Driver  Car / Engine   Time   Delay 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'17.166  
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'17.233 0.067
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'17.263 0.097
3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'17.382 0.216
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'17.423 0.257
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'17.454 0.288
81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'17.623 0.457
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'17.674 0.508
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.032 0.866
10  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.050 0.884
11  10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'18.521 1.355
12  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'18.524 1.358
13  14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'18.738 1.572
14  23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'19.147 1.981
15  22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT - -
16  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'19.080 1.914
17  20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'19.163 1.997
18  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'19.227 2.061
19  4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'21.554 4.388
20  2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes - -

What happened in Mexico Grand Prix Q1?

Verstappen set the pace at 1m18.099s but was put under investigation for impeding cars at the end of the pitlane, as was George Russell in his Mercedes – while Lewis Hamilton was reported for not slowing his Mercedes enough under yellows.

The end of the session was quite the mess, as Fernando Alonso spun his Aston Martin at Turn 3 and caused a yellow flag.

Falling at the first hurdle were Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Lando Norris (who suffered a disastrous session for McLaren) and Logan Sargeant (whose laps were deleted for Williams).

Mexico Grand Prix Q1 results: Verstappen fastest from Piastri

Cla Driver  Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'18.099   6
81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'18.241 0.142 6
3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'18.341 0.242 3
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'18.401 0.302 5
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.429 0.330 5
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'18.553 0.454 6
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'18.677 0.578 6
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'18.755 0.656 5
23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'18.828 0.729 6
10  14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'18.848 0.749 8
11  22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'18.890 0.791 7
12  63 George Russell Mercedes 1'18.893 0.794 7
13  10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'18.945 0.846 9
14  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'18.969 0.870 6
15  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'19.016 0.917 6
16  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'19.080 0.981 6
17  20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'19.163 1.064 9
18  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'19.227 1.128 9
19  4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'21.554 3.455 6
2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes - - 6

What happened in Mexico Grand Prix Q2?

Verstappen set the pace his first run of 1m17.625s and sat out the rest of the session, so Hamilton pipped him by 0.054s with his final lap.

Knocked out at this point were Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Alonso, Alex Albon (Williams – who lost a top-nine time due to track limits) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri – who will start at the back due to engine change penalties).

Mexico Grand Prix Q2 results: Hamilton fastest from Verstappen

Cla Driver  Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'17.571   6
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'17.625 0.054 3
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'17.673 0.102 6
3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'17.706 0.135 6
81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'17.874 0.303 6
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'17.901 0.330 6
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.016 0.445 6
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'18.124 0.553 4
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'18.382 0.811 6
10  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.440 0.869 6
11  10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'18.521 0.950 6
12  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'18.524 0.953 6
13  14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'18.738 1.167 6
14  23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes - - 6
15  22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT - - 4

What happened in Mexico Grand Prix Q3?

On the first runs, Leclerc leapt to the head of the field with a lap of 1m17.166s from Sainz, with Verstappen a tenth off the Ferraris.

On the final runs, the Ferraris didn’t improve but although Verstappen produced 1m17.263s, he stayed third.

AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo will start fourth, just pipping the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez, Hamilton, Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Russell and the Alfa Romeos of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Mexico Grand Prix Q3 results: Leclerc takes pole

Cla Driver  Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Laps 
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'17.166   6
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'17.233 0.067 6
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'17.263 0.097 6
3 Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'17.382 0.216 6
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'17.423 0.257 6
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'17.454 0.288 6
81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'17.623 0.457 6
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'17.674 0.508 6
77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.032 0.866 6
10  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'18.050 0.884 3
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