F1 Newsbites

Here is your F1 news making the headlines currently this weekend!

Vettel pips Verstappen for pole in Mexico

Sebastian Vettel pipped Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in an epic end to qualifying for the F1 Mexican Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico with Lewis Hamilton taking third.

Verstappen who set the benchmark in final practice, continued to display his brilliant speed in qualifying, setting a blistering lap record time of a 1:16.524 to go half a second clear of the field in Q2.

The Dutchman posted a fraction slower time than his best effort in his initial Q3 run, with a 1:16.574 but still held provisional pole comfortably.

However during the final runs, Vettel made a huge improvement in his SF70H racer to go 0.086 seconds clear of Verstappen, denying the young Dutchman of a maiden pole position as the German claimed his 50th F1 career pole and the Scuderia’s first pole in Mexico since 1970 with Clay Regazzoni.

Hamilton who qualified third, is currently 66 points ahead of the German in the Driver’s Championship and will clinch his fourth crown if he finishes fifth or higher in tomorrow’s race.

Valtteri Bottas who claimed was impeded by Verstappen in his initial run, had just one chance but took fourth as the stewards cleared the youngster of any wrong doing.

Kimi Räikkönen took fifth in the other Ferrari and ahead of Force India’s Esteban Ocon who was sixth and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who qualified seventh.

The Renault duo of Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz were eighth and ninth respectively with the other Force India and hometown hero Sergio Pérez completing the top ten.

Vettel ecstatic to take 50th career pole

Sebastian Vettel was ecstatic as he looked back on taking his 50th F1 career pole position at the Mexican Grand Prix. The German trailed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after the initial Q3 runs but out-qualified the youngster by 0.086 seconds in his final lap effort and setting the fastest ever lap around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Vettel, who sits 66 points behind championship-leader Lewis Hamilton with 75 points still on the table for the last three rounds promised to push hard in his attempt to make the title-fight continue in the final races. “It was quite a lap I have to say, I’m really, really happy,” explained Vettel. “It’s very difficult here, very slippery, it’s difficult to get everything in one lap. I had a little bit [of an advantage] in the first sector, I managed to get that right, so I had a good start. Then I had a bit of a moment at Turn 6, and I nearly lost it there, I had to go down to first gear, but I didn’t lose any time. Then I knew in the last sector if I could just keep it clean and cross the line it should be enough, and it was.” On tomorrow’s race and the title picture, Vettel continued: “Tomorrow we’ll see, it’s not as much in my control as I would like it to be, so it depends what Lewis is doing. For us we’ll go all out, we’ll attack and we’ll see what we can do. We deserve a good result, Ferrari deserves a good result, let’s see what we can do tomorrow.” Vettel concluded.

Verstappen “annoyed” to miss maiden pole

Max Verstappen was “super annoyed” as missed out on claiming his maiden pole position at the Mexican Grand Prix after being beaten by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Verstappen lead the second stage of qualifying by half a second and provisional pole after the initial Q3 running but was unable to improve due to tyre struggles. “I’m super annoyed!” Verstappen explained after qualifying. “Actually in Q3 it just got a bit more difficult, I couldn’t really get the tyres to work… of course, second is good, but not in the way it went. I gave it all, but today in qualifying it was just not enough; I really wanted that pole position, but at least we have a decent start position.” Verstappen said.

Hamilton fears lack of passing and Mexican GP “train formation”

Lewis Hamilton believes the start of the Mexican Grand Prix and the predicted one sole pit-stop window will be the only opportunities for overtaking and is worried that a “train” will form during the race. Hamilton qualified in third behind title-rival Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on a weekend when the big three have been closely matched. The Briton explained that the circuit, along with low tyre degradation levels, means that there will be less overtaking. “Those guys did a great job, they’re obviously very quick,” Hamilton said during the post-qualifying interviews on track. “I gave it everything I could, honestly the last lap I could have been a couple of tenths quicker but I still wouldn’t have been able to match these guys. The car balance was fine, we just needed more [pace]. On his chances of winning, Hamilton continued: “Generally [the start] is the only place you can do it. It’s an easy one-stop strategy, you can’t overtake, there’s 1.4 seconds [per lap] delta I think. It’s going to be a train, but if you get a good start or if I’m able to be close enough in the pit-stop maybe… who knows?” Hamilton said. The Briton will secure his fourth title tomorrow if he finishes in the top five, irrespective of where Vettel finishes.

Alonso: McLaren “had the best car” on track

Fernando Alonso has described his McLaren MCL32 as the “best chassis in the field” in qualifying at the Mexican Grand Prix as the Spaniard finished 0.192 seconds off the quickest time in Q1. Alonso remained in the garage during Q2 to save tyres for the race due to the looming 20-grid placed penalty for power-unit component changes but insisted that his Q1 performance showed that McLaren could lay claim that it is the best car in F1. “It was good fun in Q1 to show the potential of the car,” explained Alonso. “Yesterday was a nice surprise, how strong we were – the car felt great in the corners, in the high speed section, and today we proved it again in qualifying. Being two-tenths off P1 in qualifying, that shows probably for the first time in the last three years we had the best car out there. Alonso said that the chassis improved more than the engine – while Honda brought their latest updates, with the Woking-based squad making the decision to use the old-spec unit in Mexico and save the newer additions for the final two races. “Today we have the previous engine,” The Spaniard continued. “Yesterday we used the new engine but saved it for Brazil and Abu Dhabi. So all the improvements are thanks to the aero and a bit to the suspension parts we’ve brought over the past races. It’s been a while since we set a pink sector. It’s probably the best weekend of the whole season.” Alonso said. Alonso will start tomorrow’s Mexican Grand Prix in 18th while team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne will also be hit with power-unit component penalties as the Belgian faces a 35 grid-place drop and starts 19th on the grid.

Wehrlein satisfied with his day

Pascal Wehrlein was content with his day despite failing to make it out of Q1 at the Mexican Grand Prix. The German qualified 17th and behind Sauber team-mate Marcus Ericsson but out-qualified Haas F1 Team duo Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen. “Overall I am satisfied with my day,” Wehrlein explained. “Although we had some issues with my car in FP3, the team was able to resolve them quickly which let me complete a few laps in the morning,” On his qualifying performance and his prospects for the race tomorrow, Wehrlein continued. “The qualifying session went rather well. My performance was continually improving, and I had a solid chance of getting into Q2. Unfortunately, I made a small error in sector one on my final lap and did not make it. Nevertheless, this gives me confidence for tomorrow’s race and I look forward to getting back in the car, and giving everything I have.” Wehrlein concluded. The German moves up to 15th place on the grid and team-mate Ericsson 14th for tomorrow’s race due to impending penalties given to Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly and McLaren duo Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne.