Title favourite Hamilton behind Red Bull on grid
Lewis Hamilton remains on course to win the Formula One world championship after qualifying third, ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, for today’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Daniel Ricciardo beat team-mate Max Verstappen to pole position as Red Bull locked out the front row of the grid for the first time in five years, but it is Hamilton who stands on the brink of emulating the great Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, with his fifth title.
The Mercedes star will be crowned champion if he finishes seventh or higher, while Vettel has to win to stand any chance of taking the title fight on to Brazil.
The Ferrari man’s chances appear bleak, with Vettel, lining up in fourth, now having to navigate his way past both Hamilton, and the rampant Red Bull cars to take what would seem as an improbable victory.
Hamilton was clearly overjoyed to be ahead of Vettel, and within striking range of the Red Bull pair, after Mercedes were well off the pace in practice on Friday.
Now, the biggest threat to the Englishman’s probable coronation will be the 800-yard sprint to the opening corner at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and whether he can stay out of trouble.
Last year, Verstappen, Hamilton and Vettel went three abreast into the first corner, before the latter collided with his Mercedes rival at the third bend.
Hamilton limped to ninth, still taking the title, but the coming together was at the front of his mind in the moments after qualifying.
“We saw what happened last year with the red car behind,” he said. “So, I don’t know what will happen at the start.”
Later, Hamilton, 0.135 seconds slower than Ricciardo, insisted he will not change his approach when the lights go out today.
“It is very rare that I make silly and rash decisions when it comes to these scenarios,” the 33-year-old added.
“It really depends how we get away, but third position is a nice place to start as you get a good tow from the guys ahead.
“I’m going to be fighting to gain at least one position. That would be helpful, but I don’t mind those (Red Bull) guys being where they are because that takes the points away from Sebastian.”
It looked as though it would be Verstappen, and not Ricciardo, who would claim pole only for the latter to edge him out by just 0.026 seconds.