Mexico City Qualifying: Charles Leclerc takes pole position in Ferrari front-row lockout

On Saturday, Charles Leclerc swept to pole position for the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico City, with Carlos Sainz qualifying second in a surprise Ferrari front-row lockout.

The Italian team appeared slow in final practice, with Leclerc 13th and Sainz 15th, but they pulled a rabbit out of the hat when it counted, with Leclerc lapping in one minute 17.166 seconds.

Sainz was 0.067 seconds slower, while triple world champion Max Verstappen was third on the grid for Red Bull and 0.097 seconds slower.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo qualified a stunning fourth for AlphaTauri.

Sergio Perez of Red Bull qualified fifth for his home race, while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth after being fastest in the second phase.

"I did not expect to be on pole position today because we were lacking quite a bit after FP3," said Leclerc, who now has 22 poles in his F1 career.

"For some reason once we put everything together it went well, the new tyres we gained a lot."

Sainz, the only driver this season to defeat the dominant Red Bulls with a victory in Singapore, was also taken aback by his position on the front row.

"It was a very strange one... I just struggle to understand where suddenly we can find half a second and then go half a second slower in the next lap," said the Spaniard.

Verstappen was the fastest in the final phase until Sainz overtook him, and then Leclerc took provisional pole.

The final flying laps had no effect on the order, allowing the Monegasque to celebrate his second pole in a row, following Austin last weekend.

"I am confident for tomorrow. Of course I would like to start first but we will have a good slipstream down to Turn One," said Verstappen, who was cleared of impeding in the pit lane following a stewards' investigation.

SportsLigue