Verstappen qualifies ahead of Norris to set up thriller

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claims pole in Mexico City today

- SCOTT HUNT

Max Verstappen edged out title rival Lando Norris as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claimed pole position at the Mexico Grand Prix.

Norris trails Verstappen by 57 points in the drivers’ championship with five races remaining and 146 points up for grabs and needs to start making major inroads into the Dutchman’s advantage.

McLaren failed in their bid to overturn Norris’s controversial penalty which demoted him behind Verstappen in Austin, Texas, last weekend – a result the British driver labelled a “momentum killer” in his pursuit of a maiden title.

And those hopes suffered a further blow as Norris could only finish third in qualifying for today’s 71-lap race, a place behind his title rival and over three-tenths off the pace of pole-sitter Sainz.