Lord says Mexico pole may not guarantee the lead at Turn 1

Mercedes looked like a likely contender for pole after Friday’s first two practice sessions, but deputy team principal Bradley Lord warned that pole position may not guarantee its holder the lead at Turn 1, particularly with Max Verstappen in the field. Lord compared Mexico to Sochi as it used to be, saying a pole-sitter is almost certain not to lead after the opening corner.

Lord described Verstappen’s customary move to the far left, braking on the kerb and partly on the grass before somehow making it through the corner. Pole still matters, he said: clean air at the start gives its holder the best chance of an ideal race. The short lap and difficult third sector, Lord added, make qualifying hard to get right.

Lord said Mercedes could not yet judge its own prospects. Ferrari had looked strong throughout the day, he said, but lost a car in FP2; he suggested that loss could have knock-on effects for reliability.

The technical margins are tight too, Lord warned: teams are near their limits on engine and brake temperatures and turbo pressure. A small problem could cost one or two tenths or require a reduction in engine power. If a car struggles and has to run with less power, Lord said, 71 laps can feel like 701.