2023MexicoFerrari

OFFICIAL GRID: A Ferrari front row as Stroll takes pit-lane start in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 28: Pole position qualifier Charles Leclerc of Monaco and FerrariMEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 28: Pole position qualifier Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari stops in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 28, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

The practice form book was turned on its head in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz locked out the front row for Ferrari, forcing pre-session favourite Max Verstappen to settle for third for Red Bull, with former team mate Daniel Ricciardo a sensational fourth for AlphaTauri.

REPORT: Leclerc takes sensational pole ahead of Sainz and Verstappen as Ferrari lock out front row in Mexico City

Local hero Sergio Perez will start from P5 in the sister Red Bull, joined on the third row by Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, whose team mate George Russell lines up immediately behind in P8, next to the P7 McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

Alfa Romeo had a strong Saturday, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu completing the top ten. Less happy after qualifying was podium regular Lando Norris, who wound up only 19th for McLaren – he will start 17th for the Grand Prix.

And at the back of the grid we have Williams' Logan Sargeant, who failed to set a qualifying time and picked up a 10-place grid penalty for a yellow-flag infringement, in 20th, just behind Yuki Tsunoda in the second AlphaTauri.

READ MORE: Ricciardo says P4 grid slot ‘no fluke’ as he vows to ‘put up a fight’ in Mexico City GP

Tsunoda had already been demoted to the back of the grid earlier in the weekend for taking on multiple new power unit and gearbox components.

Finally, Lance Stroll will start from the pit lane after Aston Martin opted for pre-race set-up changes on the Canadian driver's car. Stroll had qualified 18th.

Starting Grid

FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO 2023

Pos.DriverTime
1Charles LeclercLEC1:17.166
2Carlos SainzSAI1:17.233
3Max VerstappenVER1:17.263
4Daniel RicciardoRIC1:17.382
5Sergio PerezPER1:17.423
6Lewis HamiltonHAM1:17.454
7Oscar PiastriPIA1:17.623
8George RussellRUS1:17.674
9Valtteri BottasBOT1:18.032
10Zhou GuanyuZHO1:18.050
View all standings

The 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix starts at 1400 local time. Be sure to join our live coverage from 1300 here.