Verstappen says traffic ‘killed’ his final Mexico qualifying lap

Max Verstappen was second after the opening Q3 runs in Saturday qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, but could not go quicker on his final attempt and finished fourth. He said traffic around Turns 12 and 13 cost him time.

A car close to him on the approach to Turn 12 had already cost him time in dirty air, Verstappen said. He had just passed Lando Norris when he ran deep at the Turn 13 hairpin. At the hairpin, he said, a car on his right left him with an awkward angle into the corner and cost him the reference point he was watching on that side. “That then killed my lap,” he said.

Verstappen said Red Bull’s turnaround from practice was the most promising sign. He had not been happy with the car in practice, he said, but called qualifying good and said the team had been fighting for pole. He is due to start fifth on Sunday after a one-place grid penalty for Friday’s practice collision with Liam Lawson.