‘I surprised myself’

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas after winning the qualifying session for the Mexico GP on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Valtteri Bottas claimed pole position for the Mexico Grand Prix on Saturday with shocked world champion Lewis Hamilton next to him in a Mercedes front-row lockout.

Championship leader Max Verstappen, who has a 12-point edge over Hamilton in the title race with five events left, was third fastest. The other Red Bull driver Sergio Perez was fourth in front of his home fans in Mexico City.

‘Amazing job'

"Valtteri did an amazing job, he has been driving so well for the team. To lockout the front row is so special," said Hamilton of his teammate who clocked 1min 15.875sec, the only driver to dip below 1:16. "They [Red Bull] were six-tenths ahead at one stage but when we got to qualifying we had better pace. I am as shocked as everyone."

‘Good feeling'

For Bottas, it was a career 19th pole position, bettering the 18 of Rene Arnoux as the driver on most poles without ever winning the world title. "I definitely surprised myself. Honestly that first run in Q3 was one of my best laps. It's a good feeling," said the Finn.

Verstappen admitted that there had been a problem with the balance on his Red Bull. "It seemed like through qualifying the balance went away a little bit, but actually the last lap I was on for a good lap," said the Dutchman.

"I don't know what happened in front of me but there were two guys going off and I thought there was going to be a yellow flag, so I backed out and the lap of course was destroyed. Even with that and not having a great balance I think we could have still gone for that pole lap."

Tsunoda blamed for Verstappen miss

Red Bull team chief said Max Verstappen got Tsunoda'd on Saturday after he was forced to settle for third on the grid after qualifying for the Mexico GP. World championship leader Verstappen was trying to cut into the pole position pace of Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas when he attempted one last flying lap. But the Dutchman was distracted by seeing teammate Sergio Perez and the AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda run wide off track ahead of him. Horner said Tsunoda was at fault for Verstappen ending up on the second row behind Bottas and title rival Lewis Hamilton. "I think we got Tsunoda'd," Horner said. "I don't understand why he was just cruising around at that part of the circuit. It's disappointing."

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