"Contending for pole position": Max Verstappen laments the congestion at Turn 13 during F1 Mexico GP qualifying.

Max Verstappen expressed disappointment over his inability to complete his final qualifying lap for the Mexico City Grand Prix, noting that his time was "up there for pole" before he encountered Lando Norris in the last sector.

The four-time champion was nearly a tenth faster than the eventual pole sitter Lewis Hamilton at the end of the second sector, having achieved a purple first sector and then equaling Hamilton's pace in the second part of the lap.

However, Verstappen's lap fell apart from that point. After experiencing dirty air from the cars ahead at Turn 12, he found himself needing to navigate between Isack Hadjar and Norris heading into Turn 13. Norris attempted to move to the right side, which disrupted Verstappen's rhythm, leading him to lock up in the tight left-hander at Foro Sol.

As a result, Verstappen abandoned his lap. His initial attempt secured him fourth position, but he incurs a one-place grid penalty due to his FP2 incident with Liam Lawson at the same cluster of stadium-section turns. Consequently, he will start behind Kimi Antonelli on the grid for Sunday’s race.

"I approached Turn 12 and noticed a car slowing in front of me, which is where you start to lose time because of the dirty air," Verstappen clarified.

"Then I saw the car [Norris] positioned on the right, which is not ideal in that corner, as I entered Turn 13 already off my usual line, losing my braking reference due to the presence of another car that obstructed my view. 

"When you're on the edge in qualifying and you lose these references, along with the altered angle of the car, that can lead to a lock-up.

"For me, the grip [during qualifying] improved; my grip was terrible in practice, so it definitely got better for me in qualifying. So, I don't have much to complain about. 

"We were in contention for pole; my final lap was certainly competitive for pole, but unfortunately, I couldn't complete it."

With the likelihood of needing to race through the pack during the Mexico City Grand Prix if he is unable to capitalize on the front two rows at the start, Verstappen noted that he anticipates the engine to run hot and require management on Sunday. 

He mentioned that even with the lengthy run to Turn 1, he would rather start from pole than be at the mercy of other cars as they approach the first corner—especially considering the risk of overheating while trailing behind others.

"Everything is going to be hot; we understand that, but it’s more about how the engine will react when it’s running quite hot," he elaborated. "Perhaps we haven't operated in that range too much, but I assume everyone will face similar challenges.

"It’s always quite challenging to follow here due to the temperatures, but first, we need to assess how the car's pace will be.

"Here, I would always prefer to start from pole. If you get a good start, typically, it’s fine; you can race. I mean, they might be alongside you, but they won't simply clear you, which means it becomes a battle through the turns. But it all hinges on your start."

Photos from Mexican GP - Saturday