Two-time world champion Max Verstappen gave Red Bull reason to smile again on Saturday when he secured pole position for Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix with an authoritative late qualifying lap.
After 24 hours of arguments and derision following the announcement of Red Bull's penalty for breaching Formula One’s $145 million cost cap last year, it was a sweet return to success with his sixth pole this year and the 17th of his career.
The 25-year-old Dutchman clocked a best lap of 1min 17.775sec to finish 0.304 seconds ahead of George Russell and his Mercedes’ team-mate, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen took control on his first run in Q3 and then trimmed his time to resist the threat from the much-improved Mercedes team. He will be hunting a record 14th win in a single season on Sunday.
"That was a good qualifying," the Dutchman said. "It was a close one, but we made a few adjustments to the car and got into a better rhythm so to be on pole here is, of course, amazing.
"It's a very long run down to Turn One here, so we need a good start, but I think we have a quick car and that’s what is most important. The passion of the fans here is really incredible and, in the stadium, it is just amazing to drive there."
His Red Bull team-mate and local hero Sergio Perez was fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and a resurgent Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo.
Verstappen said he was sure Perez "will be there in the fight tomorrow".
Charles Leclerc, who crashed heavily on Friday, was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and the Alpines of two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
Russell was disappointed. "Sorry, sorry, sorry," he said on his team radio, after running wide on his final lap. "The team deserved more today. They’ve produced a really great car this weekend and it felt like our pole to have and I did a terrible lap at the end."
Hamilton, who had harboured hopes of doing better, was philosophical.
"This is the best qualifying we’ve had all year. It just shows that perseverance and never giving up can pay off. I’m quite happy with that position – it’s a along way to Turn One."
