Red Bull postpones driver announcement as Lindblad excels.
"We'll take some time before making a decision."
Red Bull has delayed its highly anticipated driver announcements, even as emerging talent Arvid Lindblad strengthens his case for a 2026 Formula 1 seat. Helmut Marko had indicated that both Red Bull teams would finalize their lineups by the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, but the timeline has now been extended. "We have some answers, but I can't disclose what the driver lineup will be," Marko told Sky Italia. "We'll take a bit of time and then reach a decision. Let's observe what transpires after the race here, and then we'll at least provide some insights."
Nevertheless, the situation is becoming clearer. Lindblad is projected to advance to Racing Bulls in 2026, taking the place of Isack Hadjar, who is reportedly set to join Red Bull Racing.
"We'll take some time before making a decision."
Red Bull has delayed its highly anticipated driver announcements, even as emerging talent Arvid Lindblad strengthens his case for a 2026 Formula 1 seat. Helmut Marko had indicated that both Red Bull teams would finalize their lineups by the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, but the timeline has now been extended. "We have some answers, but I can't disclose what the driver lineup will be," Marko told Sky Italia. "We'll take a bit of time and then reach a decision. Let's observe what transpires after the race here, and then we'll at least provide some insights."
Nevertheless, the situation is becoming clearer. Lindblad is projected to advance to Racing Bulls in 2026, taking the place of Isack Hadjar, who is reportedly set to join Red Bull Racing.
In second practice in Mexico Max Verstappen set the fastest time, and Yuki Tsunoda was seventh, but Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko is still dissatisfied…
Helmut Marko: “On a fast lap everything is fine, we are competitive, but over the long run things are not smooth, we are clearly behind McLaren, especially on Medium tyres. On Softs the gap is smaller, but we are still behind. This has nothing to do with the temperature. It's a matter of balance and grip. And we need to work on that.
Piastri was clearly behind Norris. It looks like he has problems, but it's only Friday, they can still sort it out. But first we need to solve our own problems, and then we'll look at the competitors.”
Helmut Marko: “On a fast lap everything is fine, we are competitive, but over the long run things are not smooth, we are clearly behind McLaren, especially on Medium tyres. On Softs the gap is smaller, but we are still behind. This has nothing to do with the temperature. It's a matter of balance and grip. And we need to work on that.
Piastri was clearly behind Norris. It looks like he has problems, but it's only Friday, they can still sort it out. But first we need to solve our own problems, and then we'll look at the competitors.”
At the end of the first Friday practice session, in which Pato O'Ward was replacing Lando Norris, the Mexican felt ill and, after it ended, was sent to the doctors.
Because of the illness, Pato did not speak to reporters and did not attend a meeting with Mexican sponsors. After examining the driver, the doctors gave their recommendations and cleared him to leave.
McLaren has made no statements on the matter; the cause of the illness has not been announced.
Because of the illness, Pato did not speak to reporters and did not attend a meeting with Mexican sponsors. After examining the driver, the doctors gave their recommendations and cleared him to leave.
McLaren has made no statements on the matter; the cause of the illness has not been announced.
In 2025 Sauber is having its best season in a long time – at least that's what the number of points scored by its drivers, the fact that it sits eighth in the Constructors' Championship, and Nico Hülkenberg's July podium at Silverstone suggest.
When Jonathan Wheatley, the head of the Swiss team, was asked whether Sauber is positioned to fight for higher places in the final stage of the championship, since the gap to Aston Martin and Racing Bulls is not that large, he replied:
"The difference in pace between cars from different teams is very small, the intense rivalry will continue until the very end of the season, and in the end the one who makes fewer mistakes will be ahead. But to be honest, I like how we're racing right now. I like this atmosphere of competitiveness, when everyone is producing roughly equal results, and I'm just enjoying how the season is unfolding."
Next year the factory Audi team, which is being created on the basis of Sauber, will make its World Championship debut, and preparations for this event are entering their final stage. According to Wheatley, all work is going according to plan: "Power unit development has already entered its final phase, the engine specialists are working on reliability issues. Work on the chassis is also progressing successfully, and we are already preparing to carry out the first engine start, which should also take place on schedule.
"These are also great news, because for the first time an Audi car built for Formula 1 will be fitted with a new engine, and I can't even put into words how excited I am to see that moment. We face extremely difficult tasks, because in the process of creating the factory Audi team we are implementing large-scale reforms, and this is a very exciting time!"
Wheatley believes it is premature to make forecasts for 2026, when the championship will switch to next-generation machinery: "Serious challenges await us, because it will be Audi's first year in Formula 1. We will introduce both a new chassis and a new power unit at the same time, and that's a very large-scale project.
"And I think it's too early to say what next season's races will be like. First you need to understand what these cars will be capable of on track. And in Formula 1 surprises are always possible, and you can never predict what might happen."
When Jonathan Wheatley, the head of the Swiss team, was asked whether Sauber is positioned to fight for higher places in the final stage of the championship, since the gap to Aston Martin and Racing Bulls is not that large, he replied:
"The difference in pace between cars from different teams is very small, the intense rivalry will continue until the very end of the season, and in the end the one who makes fewer mistakes will be ahead. But to be honest, I like how we're racing right now. I like this atmosphere of competitiveness, when everyone is producing roughly equal results, and I'm just enjoying how the season is unfolding."
Next year the factory Audi team, which is being created on the basis of Sauber, will make its World Championship debut, and preparations for this event are entering their final stage. According to Wheatley, all work is going according to plan: "Power unit development has already entered its final phase, the engine specialists are working on reliability issues. Work on the chassis is also progressing successfully, and we are already preparing to carry out the first engine start, which should also take place on schedule.
"These are also great news, because for the first time an Audi car built for Formula 1 will be fitted with a new engine, and I can't even put into words how excited I am to see that moment. We face extremely difficult tasks, because in the process of creating the factory Audi team we are implementing large-scale reforms, and this is a very exciting time!"
Wheatley believes it is premature to make forecasts for 2026, when the championship will switch to next-generation machinery: "Serious challenges await us, because it will be Audi's first year in Formula 1. We will introduce both a new chassis and a new power unit at the same time, and that's a very large-scale project.
"And I think it's too early to say what next season's races will be like. First you need to understand what these cars will be capable of on track. And in Formula 1 surprises are always possible, and you can never predict what might happen."
Verstappen was fastest in the second practice.
Second Free Practice
Sunny. Dry. Air +25°C, track +37°C
Full stands on a Friday are rare, but in Mexico it happens. In the first practice nine of the ten teams (except Sauber) put a young driver in one of the cars, while the regulars ran in the second session. The day moved toward evening, the heat eased.
Compared with the first practice the track surface improved – drivers immediately began assessing tyre performance, running series of laps – first on Medium, then on Soft, but the tyres overheated and wore quickly. The Hard tyres, here the C2 compound, proved too hard for the Mexican circuit.
There were incidents. Early in the session Antonelli’s power unit switched to emergency mode, but the problem was resolved without returning to the pits. Norris complained of ignition misfires, but he also stayed on track.
Stroll caught a plastic bag and went off at Turn 12.
Second Free Practice
Sunny. Dry. Air +25°C, track +37°C
Full stands on a Friday are rare, but in Mexico it happens. In the first practice nine of the ten teams (except Sauber) put a young driver in one of the cars, while the regulars ran in the second session. The day moved toward evening, the heat eased.
Compared with the first practice the track surface improved – drivers immediately began assessing tyre performance, running series of laps – first on Medium, then on Soft, but the tyres overheated and wore quickly. The Hard tyres, here the C2 compound, proved too hard for the Mexican circuit.
There were incidents. Early in the session Antonelli’s power unit switched to emergency mode, but the problem was resolved without returning to the pits. Norris complained of ignition misfires, but he also stayed on track.
Stroll caught a plastic bag and went off at Turn 12.
After the first practice of the Mexico Grand Prix, Arvid Lindblad, standing in for Max Verstappen, received a formal warning for impeding a rival. The Red Bull Racing driver impeded Pato O’Ward at turn nine. The team also received a warning for informing its driver late about the approaching O’Ward. Since during the practice the GPS data on the cars’ positions on the track were transmitted with a delay, the stewards did not impose more severe penalties.
Bortoleto: My lap doesn't reflect the car's full potential.
Sauber was the only team whose Friday running at the Mexico City Grand Prix featured only their regular race drivers behind the wheel. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are pleased with the day and expect to qualify around the top ten.
Gabriel Bortoleto (15th): "It was my first time racing in Mexico, and I must say the conditions were nothing like what I'm used to. Grip on the track was very low, especially at the start of the session. Overall it went well. I enjoyed the challenge, and the atmosphere at the circuit was fantastic.
In the second practice I had trouble putting together a lap on the Soft tyres. By the time I managed to do it, the tyres had already passed their peak, so the lap does not reflect the car's full potential.
Sauber was the only team whose Friday running at the Mexico City Grand Prix featured only their regular race drivers behind the wheel. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are pleased with the day and expect to qualify around the top ten.
Gabriel Bortoleto (15th): "It was my first time racing in Mexico, and I must say the conditions were nothing like what I'm used to. Grip on the track was very low, especially at the start of the session. Overall it went well. I enjoyed the challenge, and the atmosphere at the circuit was fantastic.
In the second practice I had trouble putting together a lap on the Soft tyres. By the time I managed to do it, the tyres had already passed their peak, so the lap does not reflect the car's full potential.
Brown denies the claim of Verstappen joining Mercedes.
"I believed Max would move to Mercedes after this season."
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revised his previous belief that Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull, acknowledging that the Dutch driver appears stronger than ever as he quickly narrows the gap in the championship standings. Prior to the summer break, Brown had openly speculated about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes and even reached out to his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, to discuss his contract. But with Red Bull's resurgence, Brown now recognizes that the four-time world champion has returned to peak form.
"The introduction of new team principal Laurent Mekies has made a significant difference," Brown told De Telegraaf. "At least, that’s what it looks like from afar." Mekies took over from Christian Horner at the Belgian Grand Prix, stepping into a team that seemed fractured at that time.
"I believed Max would move to Mercedes after this season."
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revised his previous belief that Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull, acknowledging that the Dutch driver appears stronger than ever as he quickly narrows the gap in the championship standings. Prior to the summer break, Brown had openly speculated about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes and even reached out to his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, to discuss his contract. But with Red Bull's resurgence, Brown now recognizes that the four-time world champion has returned to peak form.
"The introduction of new team principal Laurent Mekies has made a significant difference," Brown told De Telegraaf. "At least, that’s what it looks like from afar." Mekies took over from Christian Horner at the Belgian Grand Prix, stepping into a team that seemed fractured at that time.
Yesterday we reported that Stoffel Vandoorne will serve as a reserve driver for Jaguar in Formula E next season, but in 2026 he will do more than just that.
Over the past six years he has successfully combined racing in the electric series with endurance racing, and has also worked with Formula 1 teams, first as a Mercedes reserve driver and then moving to Aston Martin in 2023.
That same year he became a factory driver for Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship and since then, together with his teammates, had been driving its 9X8 hypercars, until he said goodbye to the project on his social media pages on the last weekend of September.
"That’s it. Last race with Peugeot done," Stoffel said after the 6 Hours of Fuji. "The team did a great job, its crews finished 2nd and 5th! Thank you to Peugeot for giving me the opportunity to race hypercars, and huge thanks to my teammates, Loïc Duval and Malthe Jakobsen, for the good times!"
But Stoffel had no intention of giving up endurance racing and had been negotiating with a new team, Genesis Magma Racing, the works project of the Korean Hyundai group, whose GMR-001 hypercars are due to enter the WEC in 2026. It seemed like a done deal, but at the very last moment disagreements arose between the parties and no contract was signed.
According to The Race, Cyril Abiteboul, head of Hyundai’s racing programs, did not like that Vandoorne did not want to leave Formula E and was preparing to become Jaguar’s reserve driver. The 33-year-old Belgian announced this rather late, but Abiteboul made it clear that he does not want drivers who will combine WEC duties with work in the electric series.
It then emerged that Jean-Éric Vergne, a works driver for the Stellantis group, also does not want to compete in both series simultaneously, but is instead choosing Formula E, where he will have a lot of work with the new Citroën Racing team. He informed Peugeot Sport of this, which also happened after the Japanese WEC round, and the French team again turned to Vandoorne, with whom the split had been fairly amicable.
As The Race writes, Stoffel will return to the wheel of the Peugeot 9X8 hypercar only next year, and in the finale of this season, which will take place in November in Bahrain, his place in the No. 94 crew will be taken by Théo Pourchaire.
Over the past six years he has successfully combined racing in the electric series with endurance racing, and has also worked with Formula 1 teams, first as a Mercedes reserve driver and then moving to Aston Martin in 2023.
That same year he became a factory driver for Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship and since then, together with his teammates, had been driving its 9X8 hypercars, until he said goodbye to the project on his social media pages on the last weekend of September.
"That’s it. Last race with Peugeot done," Stoffel said after the 6 Hours of Fuji. "The team did a great job, its crews finished 2nd and 5th! Thank you to Peugeot for giving me the opportunity to race hypercars, and huge thanks to my teammates, Loïc Duval and Malthe Jakobsen, for the good times!"
But Stoffel had no intention of giving up endurance racing and had been negotiating with a new team, Genesis Magma Racing, the works project of the Korean Hyundai group, whose GMR-001 hypercars are due to enter the WEC in 2026. It seemed like a done deal, but at the very last moment disagreements arose between the parties and no contract was signed.
According to The Race, Cyril Abiteboul, head of Hyundai’s racing programs, did not like that Vandoorne did not want to leave Formula E and was preparing to become Jaguar’s reserve driver. The 33-year-old Belgian announced this rather late, but Abiteboul made it clear that he does not want drivers who will combine WEC duties with work in the electric series.
It then emerged that Jean-Éric Vergne, a works driver for the Stellantis group, also does not want to compete in both series simultaneously, but is instead choosing Formula E, where he will have a lot of work with the new Citroën Racing team. He informed Peugeot Sport of this, which also happened after the Japanese WEC round, and the French team again turned to Vandoorne, with whom the split had been fairly amicable.
As The Race writes, Stoffel will return to the wheel of the Peugeot 9X8 hypercar only next year, and in the finale of this season, which will take place in November in Bahrain, his place in the No. 94 crew will be taken by Théo Pourchaire.
Ayo Komatsu on battling Sauber in the Constructors' Championship
With five races remaining in the season Haas F1 sits ninth in the Constructors' Championship, 11 points behind Sauber. In Mexico City team principal Aio Komatsu was asked if there was a chance to claw back…
Aio Komatsu: "I don't think it's worth linking the five remaining races with the 11-point gap. All the teams are very competitive. Jonathan and his guys are doing a great job. The experienced Nico Hülkenberg has impressed in recent races, and his teammate Gabriele Bortoleto is a quick and promising rookie. It's great for our sport that the teams are so strong.
For us there's no point in calculating: 'Okay, five races, we need to score this many points here, that many there.' It's important to focus on the next session. If it's the first practice, get the maximum out of the car and the drivers, find the setup, prepare for the second.
With five races remaining in the season Haas F1 sits ninth in the Constructors' Championship, 11 points behind Sauber. In Mexico City team principal Aio Komatsu was asked if there was a chance to claw back…
Aio Komatsu: "I don't think it's worth linking the five remaining races with the 11-point gap. All the teams are very competitive. Jonathan and his guys are doing a great job. The experienced Nico Hülkenberg has impressed in recent races, and his teammate Gabriele Bortoleto is a quick and promising rookie. It's great for our sport that the teams are so strong.
For us there's no point in calculating: 'Okay, five races, we need to score this many points here, that many there.' It's important to focus on the next session. If it's the first practice, get the maximum out of the car and the drivers, find the setup, prepare for the second.
Rio Hirakawa hopes to make it into Formula 1.
Ryo Hirakawa has achieved a lot over his career: he once won the title in Japan’s touring-car series Super GT, then finished as runner-up in the national Super Formula, but his main achievements are linked to endurance racing. The Japanese driver, together with his teammates at the Toyota factory team, became WEC champion twice, in 2022 and 2023, and his record includes a victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Since last year Haas F1 and Toyota Gazoo Racing agreed a technical partnership, it’s logical that this year Hirakawa became the American team’s reserve driver and took part in several practice sessions; yesterday in Mexico he drove Oliver Bearman’s car in the first session of the weekend.
Ryo Hirakawa has achieved a lot over his career: he once won the title in Japan’s touring-car series Super GT, then finished as runner-up in the national Super Formula, but his main achievements are linked to endurance racing. The Japanese driver, together with his teammates at the Toyota factory team, became WEC champion twice, in 2022 and 2023, and his record includes a victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Since last year Haas F1 and Toyota Gazoo Racing agreed a technical partnership, it’s logical that this year Hirakawa became the American team’s reserve driver and took part in several practice sessions; yesterday in Mexico he drove Oliver Bearman’s car in the first session of the weekend.
In the past decade, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were fierce rivals on the racetracks, but over time the relationship between the two drivers changed and became friendly.
In Mexico the Ferrari driver said that he is constantly in touch with Sebastian, and the four-time world champion supports him during difficult periods.
Lewis Hamilton: "I have an amazing relationship with Sebastian. Of all the drivers I've had to interact with over the years of my career, he's the most well-rounded. When I call him that, I mean that he is someone who can empathize, someone who is incredibly driven to compete, but who understands that there is much more to the world than just us.
There's no constant 'me, me, me' around him. He brings people together. I like how he uses his influence.
He supported me during a rather tense time and today does a lot of good. We stay in touch. He supports me during race weekends, sends me messages. I am endlessly grateful for our relationship."
In Mexico the Ferrari driver said that he is constantly in touch with Sebastian, and the four-time world champion supports him during difficult periods.
Lewis Hamilton: "I have an amazing relationship with Sebastian. Of all the drivers I've had to interact with over the years of my career, he's the most well-rounded. When I call him that, I mean that he is someone who can empathize, someone who is incredibly driven to compete, but who understands that there is much more to the world than just us.
There's no constant 'me, me, me' around him. He brings people together. I like how he uses his influence.
He supported me during a rather tense time and today does a lot of good. We stay in touch. He supports me during race weekends, sends me messages. I am endlessly grateful for our relationship."
Ferrari had its best qualifying of the season.
Qualifying for the Mexico Grand Prix was Ferrari's best of the season – for the first time in 2025 both team drivers qualified inside the top three. Charles Leclerc will start the race from second, and Lewis Hamilton from third. For the seven-time world champion this is his highest starting position in a race this season, excluding the sprint.
Charles Leclerc (2nd): "Qualifying was very difficult because there was practically no grip with the track. The car was sliding a lot, so it was hard to put a lap together. So I'm quite pleased with the work we did. I don't think I could have squeezed more out of the car. Usually after qualifying you think you could have done some things better here and there, but today I'm very happy with my performance. A win in the race would mean a lot to us. We'll do everything we can to be first after the first corner.
Qualifying for the Mexico Grand Prix was Ferrari's best of the season – for the first time in 2025 both team drivers qualified inside the top three. Charles Leclerc will start the race from second, and Lewis Hamilton from third. For the seven-time world champion this is his highest starting position in a race this season, excluding the sprint.
Charles Leclerc (2nd): "Qualifying was very difficult because there was practically no grip with the track. The car was sliding a lot, so it was hard to put a lap together. So I'm quite pleased with the work we did. I don't think I could have squeezed more out of the car. Usually after qualifying you think you could have done some things better here and there, but today I'm very happy with my performance. A win in the race would mean a lot to us. We'll do everything we can to be first after the first corner.
Nico Hülkenberg looked decent in the first part of qualifying but couldn't improve in the second and was knocked out...
Nico Hülkenberg (13th): "For some reason I couldn't claw back as much in the second part of qualifying as my rivals did. The first run was very good, without the slightest mistake, but on the second I couldn't get any more out of it — in the second sector the rear of the car was nervous. Still, I'm starting 13th and can hope for points. Let's see what tomorrow brings."
Gabriel Bortoleto (16th): "To be honest, it's a bit frustrating. The first two runs in qualifying went well, but on the final attempt with a fresh set of tyres I couldn't put it all together. There was no grip around the whole lap, so it didn't come together. The pace was good, which is why I'm so upset. It's difficult to overtake on this track, the race will be tough, but we'll do everything we can and take any opportunity to fight back."
Nico Hülkenberg (13th): "For some reason I couldn't claw back as much in the second part of qualifying as my rivals did. The first run was very good, without the slightest mistake, but on the second I couldn't get any more out of it — in the second sector the rear of the car was nervous. Still, I'm starting 13th and can hope for points. Let's see what tomorrow brings."
Gabriel Bortoleto (16th): "To be honest, it's a bit frustrating. The first two runs in qualifying went well, but on the final attempt with a fresh set of tyres I couldn't put it all together. There was no grip around the whole lap, so it didn't come together. The pace was good, which is why I'm so upset. It's difficult to overtake on this track, the race will be tough, but we'll do everything we can and take any opportunity to fight back."
Qualifying in Mexico went worse for Red Bull Racing than the team had expected – Max Verstappen only managed fifth fastest. Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko believes there is no chance of victory in the race this time.
Helmut Marko: "We were able to improve, but still lost two tenths of a second in the second sector – in just two corners. The race will be difficult for us; tyre degradation will be decisive.
I think Lando Norris is invulnerable here, but everything else is possible. Our maximum in the race is a podium.
Tsunoda dropped out of contention in the second session. 11th place. He is gradually improving – the upward trend in his results continues, but in qualifying he always falls behind more than in races. He needs to learn to control that."
Helmut Marko: "We were able to improve, but still lost two tenths of a second in the second sector – in just two corners. The race will be difficult for us; tyre degradation will be decisive.
I think Lando Norris is invulnerable here, but everything else is possible. Our maximum in the race is a podium.
Tsunoda dropped out of contention in the second session. 11th place. He is gradually improving – the upward trend in his results continues, but in qualifying he always falls behind more than in races. He needs to learn to control that."
Norris: Seeing the result, I was pleasantly surprised.
Lando Norris won qualifying in Mexico — it’s his fifth pole of the season and his first in exactly three months, since the Belgian round of the championship. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, could not get higher than eighth on the grid.
Lando Norris (1st): “I’m very happy to be back on pole! It really lifts the mood, because I haven’t won a qualifying session in a long time. It was one of those laps where you don’t really know what’s happening. It felt like things were coming together pretty well, but when I crossed the line and saw the result I was pleasantly surprised.
“Honestly, I’ve been in a good frame of mind since the start of the weekend, and especially today things went well from session to session.
Lando Norris won qualifying in Mexico — it’s his fifth pole of the season and his first in exactly three months, since the Belgian round of the championship. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, could not get higher than eighth on the grid.
Lando Norris (1st): “I’m very happy to be back on pole! It really lifts the mood, because I haven’t won a qualifying session in a long time. It was one of those laps where you don’t really know what’s happening. It felt like things were coming together pretty well, but when I crossed the line and saw the result I was pleasantly surprised.
“Honestly, I’ve been in a good frame of mind since the start of the weekend, and especially today things went well from session to session.
Verstappen: It doesn't look like the car will get any better in the race.
Max Verstappen qualified fifth in Mexico, nearly five-tenths of a second behind polesitter Lando Norris. Speaking about the upcoming race, the Red Bull Racing driver said he needs rivals to retire in order to finish in a higher position.
Yuki Tsunoda did not make the final qualifying segment, setting the eleventh-fastest time. However, thanks to Carlos Sainz's penalty he will start tenth.
Max Verstappen (5th): “If we knew what was wrong with the car, we would have fixed it. Unfortunately, we don't know. We've tried a lot of solutions, but none of them were good enough. So you can't say we didn't try, we just haven't found the solution.
We kept trying to fix the situation in qualifying, and in some corners the car didn't behave as it should. In some corners it improved, but in others it got worse, so I couldn't attack.
Max Verstappen qualified fifth in Mexico, nearly five-tenths of a second behind polesitter Lando Norris. Speaking about the upcoming race, the Red Bull Racing driver said he needs rivals to retire in order to finish in a higher position.
Yuki Tsunoda did not make the final qualifying segment, setting the eleventh-fastest time. However, thanks to Carlos Sainz's penalty he will start tenth.
Max Verstappen (5th): “If we knew what was wrong with the car, we would have fixed it. Unfortunately, we don't know. We've tried a lot of solutions, but none of them were good enough. So you can't say we didn't try, we just haven't found the solution.
We kept trying to fix the situation in qualifying, and in some corners the car didn't behave as it should. In some corners it improved, but in others it got worse, so I couldn't attack.
Pierre Gasly: We were a couple of tenths short.
Following qualifying in Mexico, Alpine drivers again found themselves at the back of the timing sheets, but they believe they were able to make progress compared to Friday…
Pierre Gasly (18th): "Considering how many problems there were yesterday, today we handled things better, reducing the gap to some rivals. We were a couple of tenths short of getting into the second part.
Yesterday the car was difficult to drive, it was sliding a lot, there wasn't enough grip, we were far off the required pace. We knew it would be tough here, but on Saturday we were able to take a few steps forward and solve a couple of issues we faced in practice. The race won't be easy either. To score points we need something to happen ahead of us, but we, as always, will do everything we can.
Following qualifying in Mexico, Alpine drivers again found themselves at the back of the timing sheets, but they believe they were able to make progress compared to Friday…
Pierre Gasly (18th): "Considering how many problems there were yesterday, today we handled things better, reducing the gap to some rivals. We were a couple of tenths short of getting into the second part.
Yesterday the car was difficult to drive, it was sliding a lot, there wasn't enough grip, we were far off the required pace. We knew it would be tough here, but on Saturday we were able to take a few steps forward and solve a couple of issues we faced in practice. The race won't be easy either. To score points we need something to happen ahead of us, but we, as always, will do everything we can.
Before the Mexican Grand Prix, the family of billionaire Carlos Slim held a friendly football match at their stadium, featuring professional footballers, athletes from other sports, and businessmen. Among those who took to the field was Sergio Pérez, now a driver for Cadillac’s works team, which is preparing to debut in Formula 1 in 2026.
As El País reports, Sergio arrived at the stadium with Carlos Slim Jr., the son of the founder of the telecommunications empire that sponsored Pérez for many years, and they were also accompanied by young Mexican drivers Santiago Ramos and Noel León, who will move up to Formula 2 next season.
At first Pérez didn’t even intend to take part in the match, but he changed his mind and in the short time he spent on the pitch he managed to score a goal, after which he cheerfully commented: “It was worth it! I haven’t played football in several years, but what you know how to do, you never forget!”
When Pérez was asked whether he would be at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, he replied: “I won’t be there, I’ll be watching the Mexican Grand Prix from home. I want to spend the weekend in Guadalajara with my family and will watch the race on TV. Of course I miss interacting with my fans, but I want to tell them that I’ll only miss the home race this time, and next year we’ll see each other again.”
As El País reports, Sergio arrived at the stadium with Carlos Slim Jr., the son of the founder of the telecommunications empire that sponsored Pérez for many years, and they were also accompanied by young Mexican drivers Santiago Ramos and Noel León, who will move up to Formula 2 next season.
At first Pérez didn’t even intend to take part in the match, but he changed his mind and in the short time he spent on the pitch he managed to score a goal, after which he cheerfully commented: “It was worth it! I haven’t played football in several years, but what you know how to do, you never forget!”
When Pérez was asked whether he would be at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, he replied: “I won’t be there, I’ll be watching the Mexican Grand Prix from home. I want to spend the weekend in Guadalajara with my family and will watch the race on TV. Of course I miss interacting with my fans, but I want to tell them that I’ll only miss the home race this time, and next year we’ll see each other again.”
Fernando Alonso failed to make it to the final round of qualifying in Mexico, but believes he got the most out of the car…
Fernando Alonso (14th): "We tried to get more speed out of the car, but I think that was our maximum. In qualifying everyone was lacking grip. We'll see what happens tomorrow, how the first corners go — the chicanes here are narrow, so you can make up positions there. We'll do everything possible to fight for points."
Lance Stroll (19th): "In third practice the car looked fine, but in qualifying there was simply no grip. It often happens — in practice there is grip, and in qualifying we go out on track and see that the situation has changed. We'll see what happens tomorrow. It's clear that starting from the back won't make the race easy."
Fernando Alonso (14th): "We tried to get more speed out of the car, but I think that was our maximum. In qualifying everyone was lacking grip. We'll see what happens tomorrow, how the first corners go — the chicanes here are narrow, so you can make up positions there. We'll do everything possible to fight for points."
Lance Stroll (19th): "In third practice the car looked fine, but in qualifying there was simply no grip. It often happens — in practice there is grip, and in qualifying we go out on track and see that the situation has changed. We'll see what happens tomorrow. It's clear that starting from the back won't make the race easy."