Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz beat title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Sainz, who took his first pole position since the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, was fast enough on both his runs in final qualifying to take pole.

The Spaniard ended up 0.225 seconds quicker than Verstappen, with Norris just 0.089secs further back.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Norris starts the race 57 points behind Verstappen with 146 points still available over the remaining five races.

Read the full report here

Image source, Getty Images

Carlos Sainz last stood on the top step of the podium back at the Australian Grand Prix in March and with his departure from Ferrari to Williams edging closer and closer, can the Spaniard sign off with a race win to go with his "almost perfect" pole lap?

The drivers' and constructors' championships are set up very nicely, so let's hope the Mexico City Grand Prix can deliver a thriller for the dark Sunday night that is about to hit us here in the UK.

Remember, the clocks go back one hour at 2am, so it's GMT going forwards.

We'll be back at 19:00 GMT to build-up to the 71-lap race, withlights out at 20:00 GMT.

Get some sleep and see you tomorrow!

Before we go tonight, Jennie Gow is joined by former F1 driver, Jolyon Palmer, and the BBC’s F1 correspondent, Andrew Benson, to look ahead to the Mexico City Grand Prix.

They discuss Lando Norris’ controversial penalty last time out in Austin, hear from both Norris and Max Verstappen, plus discuss whether the title battle is still on with just five rounds remaining.

The team will be back later with a qualifying review, but you can listen to the preview here

McLaren’s Lando Norris will start on the second row in third, he said: “I’m pretty happy with third honestly, I feel like I got to the limit of the car quite quickly which made us look good. I struggled to get more out of it in the final two laps, Carlos and Max did good laps, especially Carlos who has been quick all weekend, so yeah I’m happy with it.”

On the race tomorrow, he added: “No one has done proper long runs on the tyres that we are going to be on tomorrow so there are question marks for all of us. Ferrari have been very good in qualifying and long run pace over the last couple of races. It's going to be tough but we're in a good position so I'm looking forward to it."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who starts second on the grid for tomorrow's race: "[The pressure] was quite a lot. Yesterday. I barely did any laps, so we're playing a. lot of catch-up. FP3 was not very good, so I was already under a lot of pressure to have a good qualifying. And then, of course, my lap time got taken away, adding a little bit more pressure, but very happy to be on the front row. I didn't expect that to be possible.

"I think [the circuit] is probably one of the hardest tracks to get right. Streets circuits are difficult, but this one as well, as there is low downforce, it's very easy to have a lock-up or a slide, so it's one of the tricky ones on the calendar."

Image source, Getty Images

Carlos Sainz takes his sixth career pole, he said afterwards: “I’m very happy and a great couple of laps, with a lot of times around Mexico you always have a feeling that you can not put a lap together and it’s extremely difficult with how much sliding there is, but today my two laps of Q3 were pretty much identical and almost perfect. I’m very happy because it’s not normally the case around Mexico with how tricky it is.”

On being comfortable in the car, he added: “Since Austin on our side we’ve done a step up, also in qualifying trying to find something extra with the out-lap and tyre preparation so it seems like we are going in the right direction.

“I’m looking forward to finishing the job tomorrow but at least pole position I will take it because it shows progress and really solid laps.”

On the importance of collecting points for the Constructors’, he said: “It’s our number one priority, of course to bring both cars home, especially if you win the race, those extra seven, eight points that you can win is important for the team in the Constructors’. I will be looking forward to getting that P1 into Turn One and hopefully our race pace will be good enough to win it,.”

That pole lap from Carlos Sainz was a 1:15.946 - the only driver to reach the 1:15s in qualifying.

If the Spaniard can take victory and Charles Leclerc can muscle his way into the podium positions, then Ferrari could potentially leapfrog Red Bull in the constructors' championship.

Image source, Getty Images

The smooth operator gets to lead us off the line for tomorrow's 71-lap Mexico City Grand Prix, but can Carlos Sainz convert this pole position, his first since the Singapore race in 2023, into a victory on Sunday? And if does zoom off into the distance, what will the fight be like behind him? Max versus Lando: The rematch, coming up.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

We are in for a really intriguing race tomorrow though, Sainz on pole, Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, I think that is very tasty going into Turn One.

11. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

12. Liam Lawson (RB)

13. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

15. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

16. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

17. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

18. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

19. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

20. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

9. Alex Albon (Williams)

10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

The first pole position for the Spaniard since 2023 at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc can't improve but Carlos Sainz does. The Spaniard stays on pole with a 1:15.946. Max Verstappen crosses the line and goes onto the front row with Sainz. Can Lando Norris claim a third consecutive pole? No! Third for the McLaren driver.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Big big lap for Lando Norris incoming, if he wants to at least have a chance of winning this world championship, I think this lap needs to be stuck on pole position.

Haas have picked up a cheeky tow from the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc is rapid in the first sector but team-mate Carlos Sainz has matched his effort.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

This makes this last run more interesting than usual because we've now got the two titles contenders both with massive jeopardy on them.

Verstappen is tenth because he had no times in that first run because he had them deleted and Norris was only fifth. They've both really got to deliver, there is massive pressure on them.

The queue is long to get out of the pit lane. Carlos Sainz is in provisional pole with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc alongside him. The two Mercedes are on the second row, George Russell in third and Lewis Hamilton in fourth, and Lando Norris is down in fifth.

Max Verstappen has it all do with no time to his name.

"The car definitely feels different in qualifying compared to P3."

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton says his Mercedes "definitely feels different" compared to third practice. The seven-time world champion is fourth, with the big-hitter Lando Norris in fifth and Max Verstappen having to go out again after his lap time was deleted.