Charles Leclerc Warns Mexican Grand Prix Order Will Be Set in First Few Corners

Charles Leclerc doesn’t expect much overtaking at the Mexican Grand Prix, and he thinks the race order will be decided in the first few corners. The Ferrari driver starts third on Sunday at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, behind pole-sitter and teammate Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ George Russell. The race starts at 3 PM local time.

After qualifying on Saturday, Leclerc told reporters, “I doubt there will be any overtakes tomorrow.” Once the field sorts itself out after Turn 3, he added, “it’s going to be very difficult then to overtake.”

Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions, then watched his teammate take pole position on Saturday. Hamilton’s lap of 1:16.514 beat Russell by 0.009 seconds for his first pole with Ferrari, and Leclerc finished 0.119 seconds back. At 41, Hamilton is the oldest pole-sitter since Mario Andretti in 1982.

Overtake Mode Leaves Charles Leclerc With Little Help

The underlying pace of the car isn’t Leclerc’s problem. He says the SF-26 is very strong in the corners, and the thin air at this altitude reduces the price Ferrari pays for less power and extra drag on the straights. Passing other cars is where he sees the real challenge.

He tried to overtake some cars in the second practice session and found it very difficult. The extra electrical power meant to help an attacking driver won’t change that. “The overtake mode doesn’t do much,” Leclerc said after qualifying.

He also pointed the finger at himself. The Monegasque driver admitted that he failed to nail his final out lap in Q3 and ended the session clearly annoyed, while a wobble at Turn 10 ruined his final push lap itself.

Long Run To Turn 1 Could Reshuffle the Top Three

The long drag from the grid to Turn 1 means pole isn’t always the best place to start in Mexico. Leclerc is optimistic that he could pick up a tow from the two cars ahead of him. His plan is simple. “I’ll keep my head down as much as possible and see what’s possible,” he said.

Russell, who starts from the front row alongside Hamilton, sees it the same way. “I think Turn 1 is going to be crucial,” the Mercedes driver said, and he expects only about a tenth of a second between the top seven or eight drivers in race pace.

The title fight adds another layer of intrigue. Kimi Antonelli can clinch the championship on Sunday, and a one-place grid penalty for Max Verstappen moved him up to fourth, right behind Leclerc. Hamilton and Russell both need a win to keep the title race alive.

Leclerc says Ferrari has the pace to secure a win in Mexico. The first few corners on Sunday will tell him whether he can challenge for it or not.

More F1 Reading

• ‘I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes’: Max Verstappen Claims Lando Norris Incident Compromised His Pole Bid in Mexico City Qualifying
• Kimi Antonelli Admits Being ‘More Tense Than Usual’ As He Chases Championship Glory in Mexico City
• FIA Warns Drivers of Penalties for Keeping Off-Track Gains on Mexico City GP Lap 1
• Esteban Ocon Rejects Physical Violence Speculation After Shock Replacement by Haas in Mexico