Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel set the two highest top speeds in each of the four measurements on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track and after Verstappen’s penalty for ignoring yellow flags in Q3 they will be able to control the race from the first row with the fastest car on the straights.
Due to the extremely thin air at 2250 meters above sea level, despite the biggest avalaible wings, the cars reach record top speeds in the season and as many as 11 drivers were faster than 350 km/h on the main straight speed trap.
But Ferrari drivers took first and second place and at the end of the first sector, at the end of the second sector and at the finish line, which means that it will be very difficult to overtake them in the race, as has been the case all season.
AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ
TOP SPEEDS
Sebastian Vettel has hit 357.9 km/h on the main straight speed trap, which was higher than Leclerc and Perez achieved in the Monza qualifying (349.7 km/h).
In Monza, Vettel set 359.7 km/h in the race, but the highest speeds in the race are always higher than in the qualifying due to the slipstream drivers have while racing each other, and it is expected that in the race in Mexico that speed will also be surpassed.
BEST SECTOR TIMES
Mercedes drivers were about four tenths behind Vettel in the first sector and only Verstappen managed to get close with a decent two tenths gap, giving him the pole position with the best times in the second and third sectors.