F1 Mexico Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying times and updates after Sainz beats out Verstappen and Norris

The F1 season resumes in Mexico City this weekend, following the highly contentious battle in Austin between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, who has won five of the last six races here.

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosts the Mexican Grand Prix in round 20 of the 2024 season with plenty up for grabs across the final five races.

Charles Leclerc produced a sensational drive to claim victory at the US Grand Prix with Ferrari impressing with a one-two thanks to Carlos Sainz.

The Scuderia are contending a fierce battle with McLaren and Red Bull for the constructors’ championship, with qualifying set to be vital here. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will bid to banish a nightmare weekend last time out in Texas.

Follow live updates from the Mexican Grand Prix with The Independent

F1 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING – LATEST UPDATES

• Max Verstappen and Lando Norris resume battle for drivers’ championship with Red Bull star’s lead up to 57 points

• Russell crashes in practice while Verstappen suffers engine trouble

• Sergio Perez under pressure in front of home fans after poor season

• Verstappen changes engine overnight but avoids grid penalty

• Piastri and teammate Norris fastest in FP3 as McLaren gap the field

• Piastri and Perez dumped out in stunning Q1

• Sainz claims terrific pole as Verstappen joins Ferrari on row row ahead of Norris

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying results

23:15 , Jack Rathborn

1) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

3) Lando Norris, McLaren

4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

5) George Russell, Mercedes

6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

7) Kevin Magnussen, Haas

8) Pierre Gasly, Alpine

9) Alex Albon, Williams

10) Nico Hülkenberg, Haas

11) Yuki Tsunoda, RB

12) Liam Lawson, RB

13) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

14) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

15) Valtteri Bottas, Sauber

16) Franco Colapinto, Williams

17) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

18) Sergio Perez, Red Bull

19) Esteban Ocon, Alpine

20) Zhou Guanyu, Sauber

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates as Sainz claims pole!

23:14 , Jack Rathborn

Max Verstappen on the pressure of Q3 as he bids for four wins in a row in Mexico: “A lot, yesterday I barely did any laps, we’re playing catch-up.

“My lap time got taken away, it added more pressure, I’m very happy to be on the front row, I didn’t expect that to be possible.

“It’s one of the hardest tracks to get right, low down force, it’s easy to get a lockout or a slide.”

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates as Sainz claims pole!

23:08 , Jack Rathborn

Here comes Norris… It’s only THIRD!

Verstappen’s only lap launches him onto the front row.

It’s Sainz and Verstappen, then Norris and Leclerc!

Russell and Hamilton on row three. Magnussen outqualifies Gasly and Albon outqualifies Hulkenberg.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

23:07 , Jack Rathborn

1 min to go in Q3

The Ferraris are out and Leclerc starts well, so too Sainz, the Scuderia have timed this well it seems.

Sainz on top and the better of the two red cars, but both drivers looking to defend the top two spots. The Spaniard is taking provisional pole…

1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris, 6. Gasly, 7. Albon, 8. Hulkenberg, 9. Magnussen, 10. Verstappen (out lap)

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

23:03 , Jack Rathborn

3 mins to go in Q3

Here we go, the final laps! Norris is going to be last out, he’ll keep everybody waiting, he runs the risk of yellow or red flags. It’s a gamble as the temperature of the track changes in the coming minutes…

1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris, 6. Gasly, 7. Albon, 8. Hulkenberg, 9. Magnussen, 10. Verstappen (no time)

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

23:01 , Jack Rathborn

5 mins to go in Q3

Verstappen has his track time deleted, oh the drama! Track limits proving costly for Red Bull. A phenomenal lap from Max, but it’s no good now. He has another set of new soft tyres.

What a turnaround, Sainz goes into provisional pole, Leclerc second and then the two Mercedes drivers.

1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Norris

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:58 , Jack Rathborn

8 mins to go in Q3

Both Norris and Verstappen driving in Q3 without their teammates. Both on new soft compound tyres…

Leclerc gets a lovely slipstream on Magnussen, that could be crucial.

Verstappen posts 1:16.368 for provisional pole… Norris is well off, six tenths behind his title rival.

1. Verstappen, 2. Norris, 3. Albon, 4. Hulkenberg, 5. Magnussen

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:55 , Jack Rathborn

Q3 is underway! 12 mins to go…

A shoot-out for pole and potentially another vital moment in the race for the title, can Norris strike back after the pain of Austin?

Verstappen is one of the first to leave the pit lane, he wants to put a marker down.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:46 , Jack Rathborn

End of Q2

A thrilling finale to Q2 then after Tsunoda’s crash into the wall.

Norris is still fastest, but Max is close behind…

The start of Q3 will be delayed, the marshals are out and bidding to quickly fix the barriers at Turn 12.

Top 10 after Q2

1) Lando Norris, McLaren

2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

5) George Russell, Mercedes

6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

7) Alex Albon, Williams

8) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas

9) Kevin Magnussen, Haas

10) Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Eliminated after Q2: Tsunoda, Lawson, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:44 , Jack Rathborn

Into the final minute of Q2…

They’re queueing up! But my goodness, RED FLAG!

Tsunoda is in the wall! Not only is he now out, but teammate Lawson and Aston Martin’s Alonso and Stroll are also out. Bottas eliminated too.

Tsunoda lost it on the way in through the back end. The issue started when locking out the front. “Yeah [I’m OK], sorry.”

1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Sainz, 4. Leclerc, 5. Russell

Elimination zone: Tsunoda, Lawson, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:38 , Jack Rathborn

2 mins to go in Q2

Lando has landed four poles in the last five races. Max on the front row in his last two races though. Crucially, without Piastri, McLaren is understrength in their battle against Red Bull.

“I’m struggling a lot with the pace,” Perez says after his Q1 exit. “Tomorrow is very important to maximise the day, score some points, it will be a tremendous effort. But it’ll be very difficult.”

1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Albon

Elimination zone: Magnussen, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Bottas and Leclerc…

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:35 , Jack Rathborn

5 mins to go in Q2

Lando is purple through S1 and S2… Gaining on Max, he’s two tenths up on his quickest Q1 time and tops the standings.

No time set by Leclerc yet, remember. At turn two he was a little bit cheeky, no contest there on the replays.

1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Russell, 4. Hamilton, 5. Sainz

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:33 , Jack Rathborn

8 mins to go in Q2

New tyres for Max! “The rear tyres were a bit tricky in sector two… Low grip!”

Leclerc has had his lap time deleted, he went over the white line.

Magnussen trying to reach Q3 for the first time. The Haas locking up well, staying within the track limits.

1. Verstappen, 2. Sainz, 3. Albon, 4. Magnussen, 5. Hulkenberg

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:30 , Jack Rathborn

Q2 is underway! 11 mins to go…

Well then, that was quite remarkable, poor old Checo and Piastri will be livid, what on earth happened for the McLaren between FP3 and Q1, disaster!

Just 15 drivers left…

Piastri: “It just went off in turn 12, got beached on the curb, that was it. It’s very frustrating to make that mistake.

“It was about a second. It’s a tricky circuit, it wasn’t down to being tricky, I just made a very poor mistake, that was it.

“We had a similar position for Lando last year, I’ll do my homework how he went through the field and try and do the same.”

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:23 , Jack Rathborn

Q1

Norris tops the session, edging out Sainz by 0.273 seconds.

Piastri, Perez, Colapinto, Ocon and Zhou all OUT!

The McLaren driver really suffered there, an absolute shocker after topping FP3.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:19 , Jack Rathborn

1 min to go in Q1

Can Piastri get out of the bottom five? He does, up to 14th, but it might not be enough.

Sergio Perez back down in the bottom five, it’s a dismal outing for the Red Bull star. Piastri is out too! Shocking!

1. Norris, 2. Sainz, 3. Verstappen, 4. Leclerc, 5. Magnussen

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:16 , Jack Rathborn

4 mins to go in Q1

This could come down to the last drivers over the line.

McLaren going again on the soft tyres, it could be tight for a lot of drivers here. Piastri struggling once again, this is a stunner from FP3 to Q1…

Russell: “Are we safe?” Mercedes are blunt, “negative”.

Russell, incredulous, replies again: “Negative?” This will be tense, just over three minutes remaining.

Piastri in trouble? How much fuel does he have left? “That lap is deleted for track limits”.

1. Norris, 2. Verstappen, 3. Gasly, 4. Hülkenberg, 5. Albon

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:12 , Jack Rathborn

6 mins to go in Q1

The stadium section of this track is quite spectacular and Alonso jumps up into the top five briefly.

“Yes, I cannot brake for low speed mate,” Perez says on the Red Bull radio. The track is producing a wild Q1, is anybody safe?

1. Verstappen, 2. Gasly, 3. Hülkenberg, 4. Norris, 5. Tsunoda

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:09 , Jack Rathborn

9 mins to go in Q1

A shocker from Piastri, too, what is going on here?

Verstappen on the softs, purple in both sectors one and two… He’s quickest by two tenths.

A lot of understeer from the Dutch driver though.

1. Verstappen, 2. Norris, 3. Sainz, 4. Albon, 5. Colapinto

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:06 , Jack Rathborn

12 mins to go in Q1

A little hop, skip and a jump from Checo there, out there on new softs.

The Mexican is roared on by the crowd, Norris not far behind.

The Red Bull is more than a second slower than Sainz, Martin Brundle is not impressed: “Oh dear…that is not particularly fast!”

1. Sainz, 2. Leclerc, 3. Alonso, 4. Stroll, 5. Bottas

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

22:01 , Jack Rathborn

Here we go then… 18 mins to go in Q1.

Green light is on! No cars in the pit lane just yet… Remember, it’s hot out there, 44 degrees is the track temperature.

It’s 10 degrees hotter than the end of FP3, the drivers will be determined to remain hydrated out there.Here we go then… 18 mins to go in Q1.

Green light is on! No cars in the pit lane just yet… Remember, it’s hot out there, 44 degrees is the track temperature.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

21:51 , Jack Rathborn

“When you get back here, I realise how much support and energy these people give,” Red Bull’s Sergio Perez says.

“I’ve done it so many times, I know the main focus is on the track, the best way to make them happy is to give them a great race.

“It’s important to focus on the track, try to make the right moves, the most I can do is to give my all, I’ll try to do that this time.

“We understood a lot of our issues, the last year and a half, a lack of stability, which the team couldn’t spot where it was, but now it’s clearer, we elimate some of the problems, the car is feeling a lot better. I think we understand where the issue is, I think the next six months or so will be very important to come out on top.”

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

21:43 , Jack Rathborn

Karun Chandhok on Franco Colapinto’s future in F1 after five points in four races since debuting.

“He’s done a great job,” the Sky Sports F1 analyst says. “He’s proven he deserves to stay, it’s a shame there isn’t a seat for him at Williams.

“They’re keen to help him stay in F1, they want to keep him on a bungee chord. The only way is to let Williams have him on a loan deal, if you’re RB, are you keen on that? I don’t think it’s a simple process.”

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying updates

21:22 , Jack Rathborn

“I’ll believe in it until it’s mathematically impossible, we can overtake the McLaren and the Red Bull as well,” says Charles Leclerc, who can still win the drivers’ championship, even if it is extremely unlikely.

“I mean, never say never. [But] even if we do everything perfectly, I feel like it will require a little bit of luck inside that to try and get that [drivers’] title, and we cannot really rely on luck.

“So, the drivers’ [championship] seems to be quite unlikely. But again, I will believe in it until it’s mathematically impossible.”

Leclerc is 22 points behind Norris, who trails Verstappen by 57 points. The Monegasque would need to win all five of the remaining grand prix, plus the sprint races, with Verstappen finishing on average fifth or worse in every race and setting no more than three fastest laps.

Oscar Piastri takes swipe at Carlos Sainz during practice

20:45 , Jack Rathborn

During third practice, Piastri had some words for Carlos Sainz and was heard saying on his radio: “Typical Carlos.”

It is not thought to be too serious, although Sainz could have gone quicker at turn 10. It led to Piastri abandoning a lap during the session.

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – FP3 standings

20:35 , Jack Rathborn

1. Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:16.492

2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.059

3. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.340

4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.511

5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.568

6. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.740

7. Yuki Tsunoda RB +0.810

8. George Russell Mercedes +0.849

9. Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team +0.982

10. Liam Lawson RB +1.002

David Coulthard rips McLaren over ‘excuses’ and ‘naïve’ Verstappen v Norris strategy

20:25 , Jack Rathborn

“My position was that whoever is ahead at what I define as the apex, has the right to control the corner,” David Coulthard said on the Formula For Success podcast.

“And if I put myself on the outside of Michael [Schumacher], right, what do I think is going to happen? If I’m slightly behind and I put myself on the outside, he’s going to push me off the track. Of course he is. That’s exactly what Max is going to do. The fact that Max then ran a little bit beyond the white line, actually, the point at which you are when you arrive at the apex, is what defines it. In the case of George, who was given the penalty, he was behind as they went through the apex, and then took a wider line, which forced the other car wide. So that’s why he was given the penalty.

“So for me, it’s absolutely clear, and I think that McLaren made a mistake in not saying to Lando, ‘Give the place back, pass him somewhere else’, because he had the pace to do it. And then complaining afterwards, ‘Oh, there’s rules for one, there’s rules for another’, join a long line of people who complain and make excuses. You count the winners by the chequered flag, assuming there’s no penalties afterwards.

“So, I think it was a brilliant bit of aggressive, strategic understanding of the rules by Max, and it was a slightly naïve position from McLaren. And Lando, on the in-lap I believe, and I can’t say word for word, kind of asked: ‘Why didn’t we give the place back?’ He was in the car present, but he was, at the moment, trusting in what the team were saying, and trusting in the fact that they’d both gone off, so therefore he should be able to keep the position. But of course, he doesn’t know the relative placing of the cars as they ran through the apex.”

Lewis Hamilton reacts to LMVH deal worth reported $1b to F1

20:15 , Jack Rathborn

“All I hope is that, there probably isn’t, but I hope that there’s an impact element to that deal,” Lewis Hamilton said on the mega deal.

“Because it’s two huge organisations making a crazy amount of money in a year. It shouldn’t be about how much more money we can make, it should be about what impact we can make with this partnership?

“I bet anyone it’s not the case. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised but I really hope that would be in the conversations.”

Franco Colapinto to VCARB next season?

20:05 , Jack Rathborn

Franco Colapinto is calm on his F1 future despite speculation he could join VCARB next season.

If Colapinto joined Red Bull’s junior team alongside Yuki Tsunoda, then Liam Lawson would link up with Red Bull next to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could find himself out in the cold.

“We see it with Colapinto,” the Argentine youngster told Motorsport-Total. “As a relatively inexperienced and not very successful guy in the junior series, although it must be said that he never had the top teams, but what an incredible performance he is having now.

“I think he has a long-term contract with Williams. He will definitely be someone in the future. What he showed was very, very good.”

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – FP3 latest updates

19:36 , Jack Rathborn

FP3 concludes and it’s a big boost for the papaya…

Piastri outpaces Norris by six-hundredths of a second.

Ferrari had the pace early on, but McLaren with the soft tyres sizzled… They’ve gapped the field and have half a second on their nearest rival: Carlos Sainz and the Ferrari.

1. Piastri – 1:16.492, 2. Norris – +0.059, 3. Sainz – +0.340, 4. Verstappen – +0.511, 5. Hamilton – +0.568

Mexico Grand Prix 2024 – FP3 latest updates, Lewis Hamilton stunned by McLaren pace

19:21 , Jack Rathborn

10 mins to go

Lewis Hamilton is shocked by the McLaren speed, he goes fourth and appears delighted, before being informed that Piastri is more than half a second faster.

The Mercedes star says: “That was a decent lap, **** they’re quick!”

1. Piastri, 2. Norris, 3. Sainz, 4. Verstappen, 5. Hamilton

F1 2024 race schedule: Start time and how to watch Mexico Grand Prix

Thursday 24 October 2024 15:22 , Jack Rathborn

F1 rolls around to Mexico City next as the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez plays host to the Mexican Grand Prix and round 20 of the 2024 season.

Charles Leclerc won an action-packed US Grand Prix on Sunday, leading home a Ferrari one-two on a memorable day for the Scuderia in Austin.

The main talking point was the highly contentious battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, with the McLaren driver coming off second-best and demoted to fourth after a penalty. Alongside his sprint race victory, it means Verstappen extended his lead to Norris in the world championship to 57 points with five rounds remaining.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes endured a nightmare weekend in Texas and will be looking to bounce back this weekend. Verstappen has a terrific record in Mexico, winning five of the last six races.

F1 2024 race schedule: Start time and how to watch Mexico Grand Prix