Verstappen Dominates Qualifying, Alpine Struggles at 2025 Mexican Grand Prix
Table of Contents
Mexico City – Max Verstappen secured pole position for the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix, setting a blistering pace in qualifying, while Alpine endured a deeply disappointing session, qualifying in 18th and 20th. The qualifying results considerably impact the championship battle and highlight the contrasting fortunes of teams as the season nears its conclusion.
Verstappen’s dominant performance underscores Red Bull’s continued strength, but the close proximity of George Russell – just 0.084s behind – and the potential for Mercedes to disrupt the race order adds an intriguing dynamic. Meanwhile, Alpine’s struggles raise concerns about thier competitiveness and ability to salvage points in the remaining races. The outcome of Sunday’s race could have implications for both the championship standings and team morale heading into the final stages of the 2025 season.
Winners: Red Bull & Mercedes
Max Verstappen’s pole position continues his impressive form, but it was the performance of George Russell that caught attention. Despite being narrowly behind Verstappen, Russell’s qualifying result places him well to challenge the Red Bull driver and potentially aid rivals like Carlos Sainz Jr. in the race.
Notably, Verstappen was only 0.084s and two places ahead of Russell on the grid. Mercedes appears poised to capitalize on any opportunities presented by out-of-position title contenders, potentially offering a strategic advantage to drivers like Lando Norris.
Loser: Alpine
Alpine faced a challenging qualifying session, with Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly securing 18th and 20th positions respectively. Colapinto candidly stated, “This track I think is just not very good for us at the minute,” a sentiment reflecting the team’s broader struggles.
Gasly was just 0.134s from advancing to Q2, believing he had the pace to do so if he could overcome the car’s balance issues. He described the car as having “the hardest sort of car balance inconsistency we’ve had this year,” struggling with brake locking and instability on the kerbs. Colapinto echoed these concerns, noting excessive bouncing when utilizing the kerbs. with limited opportunities remaining in 2025, Alpine’s focus now appears to be on maintaining team morale amidst ongoing performance difficulties.
