VALTTERI BOTTAS will start on pole position in tonight’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver put in a masterful performance during qualifying, with teammate Lewis Hamilton in second and F1 Driver’s Championsip leader Max Verstappen third.
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports F1
- Race – TONIGHT 7pm
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WOLFF TALKS
Toto Wolff hasn’t discussed team strategies with his Mercedes Formula 1 drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton after their front row lock-out in Mexico.
Mercedes stunned Red Bull by clinching a 1-2 in qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday as Bottas secured his third pole of the season.
And speaking before the Mexican GP, Wolff said: “No, we haven’t discussed [it] because we felt that we were not in a position to consider to talk about.
“It would have been such a long shot, talking about the victory before qualifying.
“Obviously the situation is different now, and we are going to address it tomorrow morning, like we always do in the strategy meeting.”
BIG BAD WOLFF
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has labelled Toto Wolff a ‘pantomime dame’ after the Mercedes chief suggested the title race may be decided by a remake of the ‘Senna-Prost’ 1990 crash.
And Wolff believes that either Verstappen or Hamilton might do a ‘Senna-Prost’ by taking the other out.
The pair have come to blows a couple of times this season already at both Silverstone and the Italian Grand Prix.
In Italy, Hamilton had a lucky escape with the halo saving him from being crushed underneath Verstappen’s car.
Horner responded: “Look, we all know that Toto has a lot to say but I was quite flattered to be called a protagonist, if you look at the definition of what it means.
“You need an antagonist to have a protagonist and one could say perhaps Toto fills that role pretty well.
“If it were a pantomime, maybe the pantomime dame role might suit him. But it is all about what goes on on the track and it is a great competition between the teams.
“It is no-holds barred, it is pit-walls against pit-walls, drivers against drivers, engine suppliers against engine suppliers, chassis against chassis. It is fantastic and we are loving it.
“Occasionally you are going to get some flak thrown at you but you take it with a pinch of salt and sometimes even as a compliment.”
MAX MYSTERY
Max Verstappen has revealed why he thinks his Red Bull team finished behind Mercedes going into the Mexican GP.
He said: “I think we just were really slow and just [had] terrible grip in Q3.
“I think my last lap we recovered that a bit just [by] getting the tyres into a little bit [of] a better window.
“But [it’s] still not to what we would have liked, and how the car has been behaving in all the practice sessions, so that’s a bit of a mystery.
“But then we [will] mainly race on different tyres anyway, so I expect the balance to be good again.”
DOUBLE TEAM
Lewis Hamilton wants to double up with Mercedes pal Valtteri Bottas to stop Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the Mexico GP.
While comparing Mexico to Russia’s GP, Hamilton revealed that he and Bottas will work together to stop Verstappen from clinching victory.
He said: “It feels exactly the same sort of length but obviously, in Russia there’s a lot more drag and a lot more tow-effect.
“Here there’s less but still there is a tow effect and so you know, Valtteri and I will no doubt work as a team to try and hold one-two for the team.”
BOTTAS SUPPORT
Valtteri Bottas has confirmed he will support Lewis Hamilton’s F1 championship charge at the Mexico City Grand Prix should circumstances allow.
He said: The first thing I need to focus on is the race start, do my best and speak with Lewis on how we can maintain the lead as a team and how we can keep the Red Bulls behind,” said Bottas.
“Then we will see how the race situation will be. I still am 100 per cent sure that there could be a circumstance where I could still win the race, I believe in that and I hope for that.
“If not, then I will support Lewis and get the maximum points for the team.”
VERSTAPPEN BLAME
Red Bull star and World Championship leader Max Verstappen admitted he blames teammate Sergio Perez and AlphaTauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda for ruining his chance at pole position at qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix.
He said: “It seemed like through qualifying the balance went away a little bit.
“Then actually on the last lap I was on for a good lap. I don’t know what happened in front of me but there were two guys going off, so I thought there was going to be a yellow flag.
“So I back out and then of course you know the lap is destroyed.
“Even with that, and with not having great balance, I think we could have still gone for that pole lap.”
NEVER GIVE UP
It was a frustrating day yesterday for Mexico’s own Sergio Perez.
He starts in p4 today.
On yesterday, he said: “I feel frustrated because we had more and I was hoping to give them a better result. Tomorrow I’ll take each of you in my car!”
RACE DAY
Goooooooood morning, it’s race day!
Mercedes will start in P1 and P2 today, with championship leader Max Verstappen in P3.
BOTTAS IS ON POLE
Hamilton takes second.
Verstappen third.
Mercedes did have the pace.
VERSTAPPEN CANNOT IMPROVE
He is third
FLAG OUT
Perez goes off track. And Mercedes are going quicker.
FINAL RUNS
THIS IS GOING TO BE CLOSE. TV replays showing Verstappen’s Red Bull has a pit of tape on his rear wing. He’s complaining of a lack of rear grip.
FIRST RUNS COMPLETE
Bottas takes provisional pole. Hamilton in second. Wow.
Verstappen in P3 and Perez in P4.
Could the Finn upset proceedings?
FIVE TEAMS HAVE ALL THEIR DRIVERS INTO Q3
Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and AlphaTauri.
Q2 IS DONE – HAMILTON QUICKEST FROM VERSTAPPEN
Vettel, Raikkonen, Russel, Giovinazzi and Ocon all out.
IN THE DROP ZONE
Are Vettel, Russell, Ocon, Giovinazzi and Raikkonen.
VERSTAPPEN TOPS Q2
But Hamilton is just 0,016 seconds behind the Red Bull man. This is close. Game on.
Q2 IS GO – THE FIGHT TO GET INTO THE TOP 10 IS ON
Russell will be hoping to make it into Q3 to lessen the blow of that 5-place grid penalty for taking a new gearbox.
Q1 IS DONE – ALONSO IS ELIMINATED
The two-time world champion is out. Latifi, Schumacher and Mazepin, plus Stroll, who crashed, are all out at the first hurdle.
FIRST RUNS AND RED BULL MAKE IT 1-2 IN THE EARLY RUNNING
It is looking all too comfortable for them. Are Mercedes struggling, or playing a waiting game?
GREEN LIGHT
We are go again in Mexico. A small problem for Sainz but he is going again in his Ferrari.
PITLANE IS FULL
The drivers are eager to get going again after Stroll’s accident.
FIVE MINUTE WARNING
The qualifying session will resume soon following Stroll’s accident.
GETTING CLOSE TO RESTARTING THE ACTION
Stroll’s car getting removed from the track.
RED FLAG – CRASH FOR STROLL
He has had a big crash, he is ok. He’s lost it on the straight, but the session is stopped while they clean up the track.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
