Verstappen pinpoints the factor that ‘killed my lap’ in Mexico City qualifying
Max Verstappen explains the technical glitch that cost him pole at the Mexico City Grand Prix and outlines Red Bull’s plan to bounce back.
Red Bull Racing’s lead driver Max Verstappen opened up on why his qualifying lap in Mexico City fell short of pole position, attributing the loss of pace to a brief loss of rear‑end grip caused by a tyre‑temperature issue. Speaking to Formula1.com after the session, Verstappen said the car’s rear tyre cooled faster than expected on the long, high‑altitude straight, “killing my lap” just as he was pushing for the fastest time.
Despite the setback, Verstappen remained upbeat about the team’s overall performance. He noted that the car’s aerodynamic package was strong and that the drivers were “fighting for pole” throughout the session. The Dutchman highlighted that the team’s engineers had already identified the cooling problem and were working on a revised tyre‑warming strategy for the race, ensuring the rear tyres stay in the optimal temperature window for the full lap.
Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre‑Willy Rüegg, confirmed that the team will adjust the brake‑by‑wire settings and add a small amount of extra heat to the rear tyre blankets for the race. The changes are expected to mitigate the rapid temperature drop that Verstappen experienced on the 4.3‑km Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, where the thin air at 2,240 metres above sea level can dramatically affect tyre performance.
For Indian fans, the Mexico City Grand Prix will be broadcast live on FanCode with commentary in English and Hindi, starting at 02:30 IST on Sunday. The race is scheduled for 15:00 IST, and fans can also follow live timing on the official F1 app, which offers a dedicated Indian server for smoother updates. With Verstappen’s candid assessment, Red Bull appears poised to fight for victory, even if the pole position slipped away.
Verstappen’s transparency about the issue underscores the fine margins that define qualifying at altitude‑affected venues. As the championship battle intensifies, every fraction of a second matters, and the Dutchman’s willingness to share technical insights gives fans a deeper look into the sport’s engineering challenges.
Source: Formula1.com