Ferrari secured a shock front row lockout with Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as Max Verstappen, who had topped all three practice sessions, ended the decisive Q3 session third fastest for Red Bull.
The final classification was subject to a number of post-qualifying investigations, with Verstappen and George Russell plus his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton among those summoned to face the stewards for pitlane impeding and a yellow flag infringement respectively.
But all drivers escaped sanctions, and will line up as they ended qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon were among those who had threatened to break out of the midfield during practice. But while the AlphaTauri driver was able to translate this potential into a top-four qualifying position, prompting him to declare that he feels “a lot like my old self”, a frustrated Albon dropped out of the running in Q2 following a track limits violation.
Meanwhile it was another disappointing afternoon for Aston Martin following its US Grand Prix nadir. Fernando Alonso was only 13th after being knocked out in Q2, while Lance Stroll failed to progress from Q1 and was 18th.
Lando Norris is another driver who will have his work cut out on Sunday, after the McLaren driver qualified 19th. The Briton took full blame for not getting the most from his tyres after being called to abort his opening run, but will at least start ahead of Logan Sargeant who failed to set a time in qualifying due to track limits infringements.
When is the F1 Mexico Grand Prix?
- Date: Sunday 29 October 2023
- Start time: 8:00pm GMT, 2:00pm local time
The 19th round of the 2023 F1 season, the Mexico GP at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, gets under way at 2:00pm local time (8:00pm GMT) on Sunday 29 October.
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the United Kingdom, Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £24 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98p or a monthly membership of £34.99p per month.
How can I watch the F1 Mexico GP?
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports will be live broadcasting the Mexico GP.
The race will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with pre-race coverage starting at 6:30pm GMT on Sky Sports F1, ahead of the race start at 8:00pm GMT.
- Channels: Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event
- Start time: 6:30pm GMT, Sunday 29 October 2023
Autosport will be running a live text coverage of the Mexico GP here.
When can I watch the F1 Mexico GP highlights?
In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of the Mexico GP at 1:00am GMT on Monday. The full programme will run for 75 minutes, covering the pre-race, the race highlights and the initial post-race reaction to wrap up the major talking points of the race weekend.
For the entire 2023 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on-demand catch-up services.
- Channel: Channel 4
- Start time: 1:00am GMT, Monday 30 October 2023
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT04
Will the F1 Mexico GP be on the radio?
Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2023 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra stations, the BBC Sounds app and via the BBC Sport website.
Live coverage of the Mexico GP will start at 8:00pm GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live and on the BBC Sounds app.
Weather forecast for the F1 Mexico GP
Current weather forecasts predict dry and sunny conditions at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with low winds and a low chance of rain. The temperature is expected to be 24 degrees Celsius for the start of the race.
How many laps is the F1 Mexico GP?
The race is scheduled to complete 71 laps of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, covering a total race distance of 305.354km.
F1 Mexico GP starting grid
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
