The Mexico City GP qualifying session delivered high drama as Max Verstappen secured fourth place on the timesheets before dropping to fifth due to a grid penalty. The Dutch ace was firmly in the hunt for pole position around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez until a chaotic final sector brought a sudden end to his flying lap ambitions, ruining what had otherwise been a major step forward in car performance.
The trouble unfolded when Verstappen encountered Lando Norris parked on the right side of the track following an earlier lock-up. The unexpected sight completely shattered the Red Bull Racing driver's braking reference point as he arrived at Turn 12. Forced to alter his entry angle into a notoriously tight corner, the reigning world champion suffered a costly wheel lock-up that instantly destroyed his final attempt at securing the coveted pole position.
Reflecting on the frantic closing moments of the session, the holder of car number #1 admitted his utter disbelief at the track conditions. "I arrived at turn 12, and then I picked up dirty air because they were driving so slowly. So, I already lost a bit of time there, but the lap was good. I think overall qualifying was very strong," he explained.
Elaborating on the moment that ruined his lap, he continued, "I couldn't boi believe my eyes when I saw him. I saw the car on the right. So, you lose your braking reference, you have to enter at a little bit of a different angle to the braking point, and in such a tight corner, you can't afford that. So, that's when I locked up. For sure, we were in that fight for pole, which for me is of course the most important, because I think all weekend I've not been really happy with the car, but then in qualifying, we really improved the car, which I think is the most important."
Adding to his weekend woes, the Dutch driver carries a one-place grid penalty stemming from a controversial Free Practice clash with Liam Lawson, an incident that prompted sharp criticism from the world champion regarding the Kiwi's on-track behavior. Now facing a challenging start from fifth on the grid, Verstappen's impressive recovery in qualifying pace offers a fascinating narrative heading into race day.
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Simak panduan lengkap F1 GP Meksiko mulai dari jadwal balap, prakiraan cuaca, hingga skenario penentuan gelar juara dunia. Baca analisis mendalam di sini!
Max Verstappen sesalkan trafik Lando Norris yang rusak peluang pole di GP Meksiko. Simak analisis lengkap dan persiapan balap hari Minggu di sini.
Max Verstappen murka usai gagal raih pole Mexico City GP akibat terjebak trafik Lando Norris. Simak analisis lengkap dan update grid di sini.
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