F1 2024 Mexican Grand Prix starting grid with penalties ap…read more
The grid for the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix is set, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz capturing pole position after a stellar qualifying round at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Sainz’s impressive 1:15.946 lap time narrowly bested Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who will line up alongside him in second place, just a fraction behind. Ferrari has been in fine form, following up on last weekend’s United States Grand Prix, where they took the top two spots.
Verstappen, starting right next to Sainz, will be determined to gain an early advantage. Red Bull, however, experienced mixed results during qualifying as Verstappen’s teammate, hometown favorite Sergio Perez, was unexpectedly eliminated in Q1 and will begin from 18th, giving him a challenging road ahead on race day.
McLaren’s Lando Norris secured third with a strong performance, continuing the team’s recent resurgence. However, McLaren had a setback as their rookie star Oscar Piastri was also knocked out in Q1 and will start from 17th, making his prospects for a top finish more difficult. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, lines up in fourth, only a fraction behind Norris. Leclerc will aim to join Sainz near the front and contribute crucial points to Ferrari’s Constructors’ Championship battle with Mercedes and Red Bull.
Mercedes, too, delivered a solid showing, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton qualifying fifth and sixth, respectively. Russell’s strong placement positions him to contend for the podium, while Hamilton, just behind, will look to climb from sixth. Both Mercedes drivers are set to challenge the top teams and could disrupt the race’s expected order.
The middle of the grid features Haas’s Kevin Magnussen in seventh, marking a strong qualifying for the American team. He is followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Williams’s Alex Albon in eighth and ninth, highlighting Williams’ continued progress this season. Rounding out the top ten is Nico Hulkenberg in the second Haas, who will be defending his position against other midfield competitors.
Further down, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson of VCARB are starting 11th and 12th, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in 13th and 14th. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu of Sauber complete the grid, with Zhou in 20th after a challenging qualifying.
With the race starting at 2 p.m. local time, fans are set for a thrilling showdown, as drivers seek to overcome grid penalties and altitude to make their mark in the 2024 F1 season’s Mexican Grand Prix.
