00:01Stroll's not improving through the middle sector, so the man in 16th had a brilliant day yesterday
00:06and he needs to find something as he comes up towards the end of the lap now.
00:10He comes through and there's no improvement for Lance Stroll.
00:12Looking at the other options though, we've got Tsunoda in 19th, he's on a personal best.
00:16So is Logan Sargent, so is Alexander Albon.
00:19And Yuki Tsunoda is going to put big pressure on those ahead now
00:23because he's comfortably up on Esteban Ocon.
00:25This is going to be mighty close for those drivers just outside the drop zone.
00:28Ocon is also starting a flying lap. He's just left the pits, done an out lap, and now he'll give
00:32it a go.
00:33And everyone in the drop zone is improving apart from Stroll.
00:36Yellow flag in the first part of the lap. Norris goes up to second position.
00:40Yuki Tsunoda finds a time. Esteban Ocon off the road and into the barrier.
00:45The driver who was pushing on, trying to improve, and he finds himself in the barrier and knocked out in
00:52the first part.
00:53And there's Fernando Alonso, the car sparking. He's got a problem with the front left.
00:57He's got a puncher again. And a blue Alpine just clatters into the side of it. Extraordinary stuff. So unusual.
01:07Yeah, so he's got way out of shape and that's why he's headed towards Alonso.
01:11Okay mate, you're okay.
01:12Idiot, Fernando.
01:15Yeah, a lot of damage I guess. He went into me, I think.
01:20Ocon and Alonso, who weren't exactly on the best of terms here last year, well those terms get a little
01:25bit worse.
01:26I also think Esteban will change his opinion once he sees the replay.
01:31It is fantastically close. A session of fine margins. Verstappen improves his time.
01:37He's now three tenths of a second clear of the field.
01:39Bottas though, over the line with a very handy seventh place.
01:43And it's right on the cusp of the projected knockout time.
01:46He's given himself an opportunity though for his first SQ3 appearance of the season.
01:50Tsunoda goes sixth.
01:52That is a tidy lap by the young Japanese driver, crucially ahead of Hülkenberg, crucially ahead of Bottas.
01:57And now we put the emphasis on Daniel Ricciardo, one of the stars of the Mexico City Grand Prix.
02:03Tough day yesterday. Is it a better day today? He is second fastest.
02:07That's a great lap when he needed it. He's the first car across the line.
02:10Norris and the two Mercedes now in the drop zone and look at those Mercedes.
02:14They're not improving on this lap just yet. Hamilton's first sector is not good.
02:17Russell's is even slower.
02:18Okay, good middle sector for Lewis Hamilton. He needed it.
02:22He's being compared to Pierre Gasly, the driver who improved up to tenth.
02:26Perez goes fastest over the line ahead of Max Verstappen by three hundredths of a second.
02:30But what about Lewis Hamilton? Needs a lap.
02:32Finds a lap time when it was so, so important for him.
02:35Now a question for Lando Norris. Now a question for George Russell.
02:38Both on personal bests and they need it. Hülkenberg is the driver at risk.
02:42That's a good time for George Russell. It's fifth place for George Russell.
02:46Hülkenberg finds himself down in 11th. Lando Norris is the fastest driver out there.
02:51Delivering under pressure. Four hundredths of a second separating the top three.
02:55Gasly eliminated. Bottas out. Alonso didn't take part.
02:58And the two Haases. Magnussen just ahead of Hülkenberg.
03:02And it was mighty tight at the front of the field.
03:07Everyone appears to have found themselves a private part at the racetrack.
03:12Game on then. As we attack the circuit. Oscar Piastri.
03:15The first McLaren to go. Has loved this format. Is a race winner in this format.
03:20Has taken a shootout. Has taken a sprint. DRS open. Down to turn number four.
03:24First car to attack the racetrack. 18.5 for him in the first sector.
03:28Norris did an 18.6. And he's clearing George Russell who will be the last car to set a time.
03:34Tenth and a half up for Piastri then. Feeling the grip. There's a little bit more with these red wool
03:38soft tyres.
03:39It's coming to the drivers now. Verstappen is quicker than Piastri in the first sector by just half a tenth.
03:43It's pretty close there with Piastri and Verstappen. Norris a bit slower in the top three here.
03:47Middle sector is where the drivers will show the capability of their cars.
03:51And then the final sector. Just a flat out run to the line. All about your exit from the corner
03:56that Piastri is heading to.
03:57It was a spin in strange conditions here. One day ago. Correction as well. As he tries to apply the
04:04power.
04:05He now goes up through the gears. Takes it to the line. Norris is quicker than his teammate through the
04:09middle part of the lap.
04:10We'll get a comparison with Max Verstappen in a few moments time.
04:13Piastri to set a time on the board. It's a 1.11.1. Norris Perez going quicker.
04:19Verstappen's middle sector is not magic. Norris goes to the top. What about Max?
04:23So Norris hits the front of the field. Goes past Oscar Piastri. Verstappen is up at the moment.
04:28Let's see what Perez can do. And Verstappen goes over the line into second position.
04:34Verstappen in P2. Charles Leclerc now trying to get in the mix. Perez has done the fastest first sector of
04:40anyone so far.
04:42The driver under pressure. Charles Leclerc comes over the line. It's P3 at the moment.
04:46Perez is rapid. He's really quick. Look. Over a tenth quicker than Norris through two sectors. It could be Perez.
04:51Tsunoda goes to third position ahead of Piastri. Ahead of Leclerc. Still Ricciardo, Hamilton, Sainz and Russell to come.
05:00Ricciardo goes into fifth place. What can Perez do across the line? Sergio Perez third.
05:05He's third at the moment. But Lewis Hamilton is in the mix. He's still gunning for it at the front
05:10of the field.
05:11Norris, Verstappen, Perez at the front at the moment. Sainz is seventh.
05:16Hamilton, a three-time winner around this circuit. Looking to improve. It's only fourth. It's only fourth.
05:22The man last year who won the sprint. Won the Grand Prix. Is the one that can deny Lando Norris.
05:28His first shootout winner of the year. Checkered flag out. George Russell to the line. Ahead of his teammate.
05:33But not ahead of Perez. Not ahead of Verstappen. And not ahead of Lando Norris.
05:48The drivers were having to dance around various issues. But Lando Norris has taken P1 at the end of the
05:54shootout.
05:55He starts a sprint from the front of the field.
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