F1 live: Mexico GP qualifying as it happened

Thanks for following along with us today. Be sure to keep an eye out on the site for all the latest news and reaction as it drops from the Mexico paddock. Until then, see you next time!

With Perez and Piastri looking to pull of miraculous recoveries, and another Verstappen-Norris battle in prospect, the Mexico Grand Prix will be one you won't want to miss. We're signing off there on the live text blog, but we look forward to you joining us again tomorrow as we bring you all the action as it happens.

Last year Perez attempted a bold move into the first corner here which backfired badly. But he may have to get his elbows out tomorrow, starting back in 18th, if he is to have any hope of getting in amongst the points on home soil. Here's what he had to say about his disastrous qualifying.

Max Verstappen's hopes of a fourth consecutive Mexico Grand Prix win are firmly intact after qualifying. But will his focus be on where Lando Norris is rather than poleman Carlos Sainz on the run down to the first corner tomorrow? There will be plenty of fascinating permutations to mull over in the build up...

"I feel confident we would have been able to go through [without the red flag]," remarks Lawson of his Q2 exit. He also confirms that only Tsunoda had floor upgrades for this weekend, which now will be headed for a Mexican skip following his crash that consigned both RBs to an early bath.

Marshals remove the damaged car of Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, from a barrier after a crash at the end of Q2

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Just 48 points split leaders McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors' table as things stand. That could be significantly reduced tomorrow if Ferrari can convert its promising grid positions into a strong finish and Piastri/Perez only manage mediocre scores from their lowly grid slots. Expect Fred Vasseur to be the happiest man in Mexico right about now.

Last year Norris put together an excellent recovery from 17th to finish fifth in Mexico. Piastri will hope to accomplish something similar tomorrow after a below-par Q1 exit. Here's what he had to say about it.

That was a qualifying session that did not disappoint, and raises the prospect of Ferrari taking a double victory from F1's North American leg. There are other elements to consider here too; with Piastri and Perez way down on the grid, a big result here for Ferrari could have huge implications on the constructors' championship fight too.

An excellent effort too from Magnussen, who follows up his superb eighth on the grid in Austin with a new personal best for the year in seventh. He beats Gasly and Albon, while Hulkenberg rounds out the top 10.

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24

Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images

Leclerc trailed Sainz all the way through qualifying and could only end up fourth, beating the two Mercedes who share row three. Russell outpaced Hamilton in the end to snare fifth.

As Sainz ends the run of Lando Norris pole positions, he will be joined on the front row by Verstappen. The Red Bull man was tenth going into the final runs after his earlier lap deletion, but absolutely pulled it out of the bag when it mattered to beat Norris. Could we have more Turn 1 fireworks tomorrow between those two?

It is pole for Carlos Sainz and Ferrari in the Mexico Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by 0.225s. A remarkable effort from the Spaniard.

Norris finds time, but can't usurp Verstappen from a place provisionally on the front row!

Sainz does improve, which ensures he stays ahead of Verstappen who splits the Ferraris as things stand!

Leclerc improves, but doesn't beat Sainz as the checkered flag comes out. 

Sainz, if he can hang on, is going for a sixth career F1 pole and his first since Singapore 2023. Can Leclerc turn the tables on his team-mate, who has been the faster of the Ferraris in both Q1 and Q2?

Here they come then, drivers trickle out of the pits for one last time in Q3 ready for the final runs. Time to leave it all on the table.

Ferrari currently 1-2 then going into the final runs of qualifying, with Mercedes 3-4. Behind Norris, Gasly is an excellent sixth with Albon followed by Hulkenberg and Magnussen. What can Verstappen, yet to have a time on the board, pull out of the bag here?

Norris was pushed down to fifth there as both Russell and Hamilton also went faster than the sole McLaren in Q3. Was he running older rubber though?

Leclerc was only 0.047s behind Verstappen, who transgressed track limits by cutting aggressively the kerbs of the Turn 2 chicane. But Sainz goes quicker again - a 1m16.055s is 0.360s faster than Leclerc and puts him fastest for now.

Lap deletion for Verstappen! 

Norris's first lap is slower than Verstappen, a 1m16.937s which is more than half a second off what he managed to top Q2. Leclerc splits the two world championship protagonists for now.

Magnussen's first lap is over a second slower than he managed in Q2, which suggests he's on old boots. Hulkenberg, then Verstappen both improve, with the Red Bull man setting the pace so far on a 1m16.368s.

All 10 contenders are now on track as we seek to work out a polesitter. Norris has four from the last five - can he make it a hattrick across Singapore, USA and Mexico?

We're go for Q3 in Mexico. Both Haas drivers venture out first.

Albon was rather close to the Mercedes pair in Q2. How much of that was down to the timing of the red flag will soon become clear, but a very good effort there from the Williams driver. Can he cement P7 by beating the Haas pair and Gasly in Q3, or even go higher by claiming a scalp or two?

The Q3 session will be delayed as the clear up operation of Tsunoda's car continues, but race control says it will begin at 15:53 local time.

Ferrari were struggling when it came to the softs in qualifying at Austin - they’re very hard to switch on and keep alive. But given how strong Ferrari looked on its FP2 long-run and won so well at Austin, all is far from lost for the red team.

Leclerc will breathe a sigh of relief that he did manage to get his time in after losing his first time. As Alex Kalinauckas points out, the first lap he had deleted - 1m17.631s - is exactly the same time that Piastri had scrubbed in Q1, albeit at very different corners.

That bunch will be joined in Q3 by Albon, who was seventh in Q2, along with Hulkenberg, Magnussen and Gasly as Haas reaped the rewards from getting their final runs in before the red flags came out.

Norris it was then who ended Q2 comfortably fastest with 0.213s in hand over Verstappen and surely seemingly favourite for pole. Sainz was third, Leclerc fourth, then Russell and Hamilton.

Replays show that Tsunoda locked his left-front tyre entering the Turn 12 right-hander, carried far too much speed in and dropped the back end on the run-off area as he sailed into the barriers. Not a good end to the session for the Japanese; bringing out the red flags also costing his team-mate a shot at improving to result in a double RB exit from Q2.

Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, cwaks away from his car after a crash at the end of Q2

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Alonso, Stroll and Bottas are out too, with Gasly just scraping in with P10.

Tsunoda has crashed, and is out of qualifying - along with team-mate Lawson, who both drop out in P11 and P12.

As both Haas drivers improve into the top 10, we have red flags. 

Those currently facing the drop include Alonso, Magnussen, Stroll, Hulkenberg and Bottas. Lawson is the man on the bubble.

Leclerc gets himself out of danger into third with a 1m16.641s, but is pushed back one spot as Sainz also finds time. Verstappen improves too, but stays second behind Norris.

An improvement for Albon takes him up to fifth, temporarily ahead of Sainz. As we begin the final runs, what can the rest muster?