This qualification for the Mexican Grand Prix will undoubtedly remain one of the strangest and uncertain (until after the session in fact!) of this 2023 season. In the end, the Ferraris, although in difficulty in free practice and until in Q2, will occupy the first row with the 22nd pole position of Charles Leclerc who is ahead of Carlos Sainz by nothing (47 thousandths). And this is one of the only certainties at the end of the session.
Eight drivers, for a total of nine potential infractions, were reported by the race management to the commissioners who will have a hell of a job sorting it all out and whether or not they impose grid penalties on the offenders. Third time at the end of qualifying (+0”087), will Max Verstappen start from this place – ideal with the long starting straight in Mexico? Nothing is less certain because the three-time world champion is one of the drivers worried because he took too long to leave the pits during Q1. This could benefit the other big surprise of the day, Daniel Ricciardo, author of the fourth fastest time with his Alpha Tauri (+0”216). The Australian has not started this high on the grid since Italy 2022. For Alpha Tauri, it is a first at this level since Pierre Gasly’s 2nd place at the start of the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.
Alpine did not take advantage of it
Besides Verstappen, two other drivers are worried for the same reason (blocking the pit exit): Fernando Alonso (13th time with his Aston Martin), also author of a spin at the end of Q1 which added to the ambient chaos , and George Russell (Mercedes, 8th time). The Englishman is also accused of not having respected the minimum time allowed to complete a lap. Lando Norris (McLaren, 19th time and eliminated in Q1) and Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo, 10th time) are threatened for the same reason.
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 6th time) is blamed for not having slowed down enough under the yellow flag, in turns 1, 2 and 3 after Alonso’s pirouette. Finally, Logan Sargeant (Williams, 20th time) and Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri, 15th time but who will start at the back of the grid due to an engine change on his car) would have doubled under the yellow flag.
The Alpine did not manage to take advantage of this chaos since Esteban Ocon was taken out in Q1 (16th time) for 64 thousandths against Guanyu Zhou. Pierre Gasly failed in eleventh place in Q2 but this time by more than a tenth, still facing the Chinese driver. The latter took advantage of Alexander Albon’s last canceled time (more than two minutes after the end of Q2) to slip into the top 10 where the two Alfa Romeos appear for the first time since Hungary this year with Bottas 9th and Zhou 10th. Maybe better once the commissioners have finished their work?
