Source – Formula1.com
Carlos Sainz was pleased with his charging effort during the Mexico City Grand Prix qualifying session, which saw the Ferrari driver leaving the race in his wake as he took pole position.
Carlos Sainz delivered a stunning performance in Mexico City to clinch pole position for Ferrari, marking his sixth career pole in Formula 1 and a decisive moment in Ferrari’s push to narrow the constructors’ championship gap. After setting a provisional pole time on his first lap, Sainz found himself in a fortunate position as rival Max Verstappen lost a lap due to track limits. Seizing the opportunity, Sainz improved his time on the following run, clocking in a remarkable 1m 15.946s – two-tenths ahead of Verstappen, and securing his place at the front of the grid for Sunday’s highly anticipated race.
Reflecting on this accomplishment, Sainz expressed his satisfaction. “I’m very happy. A great couple of laps,” he remarked, noting the unique challenge that the Mexico City track presents. Known for its high-altitude, low-grip conditions, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez often leaves drivers struggling to maintain control and precision. However, Sainz felt his efforts in the final round of qualifying (Q3) were as close to perfection as possible. “Around Mexico, you often feel like you can’t put a lap together because of how much sliding there is. But today, both my Q3 laps were pretty much identical, almost perfect,” he said. “It’s rare to be that solid here, so I’m really happy with this result.”
This pole position comes on the back of Ferrari’s impressive one-two finish at the United States Grand Prix, an outcome that has renewed optimism within the Scuderia camp. Ferrari has found momentum late in the season, and Sainz believes that he and his team have taken meaningful steps forward, especially in refining out-lap strategies and tire preparation. “We’ve done – particularly on my side – a step up. In qualifying, we’re trying to find something extra with out-laps and tire prep, and it seems to be paying off. Today’s pole shows that progress,” Sainz shared, beaming with pride. But he also emphasized that the job is far from over, “I’m looking forward to finishing the job tomorrow.”
Ferrari finds itself third in the constructors’ standings, just eight points behind Red Bull and 40 behind McLaren. With Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri both eliminated in the first qualifying round, Ferrari has a prime opportunity to gain ground. Sunday’s race could be a turning point in the championship, especially if Sainz can convert his pole into a win. Acknowledging this critical chance, Sainz commented, “It’s our number one priority to bring both cars home. Those extra points from a win could be crucial for us in the constructors’.”
For Sainz, the goal is clear: maintain the lead into the first corner and leverage Ferrari’s race pace to keep his rivals at bay. Confident yet grounded, Sainz stated, “I’ll be looking forward to keeping P1 into Turn 1, and from there, I hope our race pace is strong enough to take it all the way.” With his sights set on a fourth career victory, Sainz has set the stage for a thrilling Mexican Grand Prix, where Ferrari aims to push forward in the championship standings and potentially carve out their first title win since 2008.
