Mexican Grand Prix F1: Qualifying Recap Haas,F1, formule 1

Mexican Grand Prix F1: Qualifying Recap

Mike Arning/HAAS F1 | 29.10.16 | Aktuality

HAAS F1 2016

Haas F1 Team drivers Esteban Gutiérrez and Romain Grosjean qualified 17^th and 21^st, respectively, for the Mexican Grand Prix Sunday at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

Gutiérrez set the 17^th-fastest time in Q1 with a lap of 1:21.401 and Grosjean was 21^st quickest with a lap of 1:21.916. Only the top-16 drivers move on to Q2, and for the first time since the season opener in Australia, Haas F1 Team did not advance a driver into Q2.

Gutiérrez and Grosjean have struggled to find grip on the 4.304-kilometer (2.674-mile), 17-turn track. The slippery surface contributed to Gutiérrez spinning as he exited the esses in the final minute of Q1, thwarting his last attempt to break into Q2. The spin also impacted Grosjean, who came upon Gutiérrez and had to abandon his flying lap. Both drivers utilized the Pirelli P Zero Red supersoft tire in Q1.

Taking the pole for the Mexican Grand Prix was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. His fast lap of 1:18.704 set a new track qualifying record and was .254 of a second better than his nearest pursuer, teammate and championship leader Nico Rosberg. It was Hamilton’s 59^th career Formula One pole, his 10^th of the season and second in a row, and his first at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Even with Hamilton on the pole, Rosberg remains in the driver’s seat in the championship standings. He holds a 26-point advantage over Hamilton heading into Sunday’s race.

Before Gutiérrez, Grosjean and the rest of their Formula One counterparts participated in knockout qualifying, they had one final practice (FP3) to dial in their racecars for a quick lap around the track. To emulate qualifying, both drivers ran exclusively on the Red supersofts.

Gutiérrez set the 17^th-fastest time with a 1:21.338 on his 16^th and final lap. Grosjean tallied 15 laps and earned his best time on his sixth lap – a 1:21.601 that put him 19^th overall.

Quickest in FP3 was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, whose fast lap of 1:19.137 was .094 of a second better than Hamilton.