2023 F1 Mexico GP qualifying results: Leclerc takes pole

Leclerc will start ahead of his team-mate Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

Verstappen set the pace at 1m18.099s but was put under investigation for impeding cars at the end of the pitlane, as was George Russell in his Mercedes – while Lewis Hamilton was reported for not slowing his Mercedes enough under yellows.

The end of the session was quite the mess, as Fernando Alonso spun his Aston Martin at Turn 3 and caused a yellow flag.

Falling at the first hurdle were Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Lando Norris (McLaren) and Williams driver Logan Sargeant (whose laps were deleted).

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60

Verstappen set the pace his first run of 1m17.625s and sat out the rest of the session, so Hamilton pipped him by 0.054s with his final lap.

Knocked out at this point were Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Alonso, Alex Albon (Williams – who lost a top-nine time due to track limits) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri – who will start at the back due to engine change penalties).

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Alex Albon, Williams Racing

On the first runs, Leclerc leapt to the head of the field with a lap of 1m17.166s from Sainz, with Verstappen a tenth off the Ferraris.

On the final runs, the Ferraris didn’t improve but although Verstappen produced 1m17.263s, he stayed third.

AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo will start fourth, just pipping the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez, Hamilton, Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Russell and the Alfa Romeos of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23