Ricciardo did a better job

(Motorsport-Total.com) – The favorites dominated the qualifiers for the 2018 Mexico Grand Prix, but not in the expected order: Daniel Ricciardo grabbed Max Verstappen 's pole position in the event. Autodrome of Hermanos Rodriguez, becoming the fourth Formula 1 Race in Mexico after returning from pole in attack. He beat Max Verstappen's record to become the youngest poleman of all time. He sees the reason in the technique.

Ricciardo had to roar the relief of the soul first. "HAHAAA! WHOOOOOOO! YAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" (Formula 1 2018 in the live ticker) More has brought the Australian, who had to suffer an ultimate bad luck, not on the radio pit. While he was getting out of the car, the relaxation was not gone: "Oh man, I need to relax a bit, I'm just shaking."

The happy nature of Australia needed that. Since his victory in Monaco, he was no longer on the podium, while his teammate Verstappen was allowed to inject champagne seven times. Since the Grand Prix of Austria, he has failed in half of the races.

And there is nothing to shake this pole. Team manager Christian Horner celebrates with his outgoing rider: "It was a very bad last lap, he just hit sectors 2 and 3. I'm very happy for him and I'm very happy that both of us cars are in the first row.

Verstappen annoyed: Surprising to have reached the third quarter

Comfort words for Max Verstappen? Incredibly false: "He had the same car and the same possibilities – Daniel did the best job in Q3 – he deserves pole, that's his merit." Ricciardo and Verstappen have signed what are called "double poles" for Red Bull Racing for the first time since Austin 2013 (Sebastian Vettel before Mark Webber). And that also without the new bedrock, the Red Bull had again dismantled after the first free practice.

For Verstappen, it's bitter, because Mexico's qualifications were the best chance for Sebastian Vettel to win the title as the youngest Polish tennis player of all time. Theoretically, he is still lucky in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, but the omens will be much more difficult. The Dutch obviously had a hard time accepting this surprising defeat. "All qualifying was nil," he said immediately after leaving the microphone. Until now, the FIA ​​has not threatened to speak its language (using the lesser English word "crap" rather than "crap").

The Dutchman also quickly found a reason: "It was the same problem as during the second free practice session: I blocked the rear wheels during the shift and when I ran out of fuel, there was a problem with the engine brake I could do that, it was to put the balance of the brakes forward to stabilize the car, but that's not how you want to enter qualifications, you want to use settings aggressive, and I'm surprised that I even managed to move to Q3. "

This may seem a little controversial as he was still on pole after the first Q3 exchange, but this highlights that Verstappen is being eaten away. Horner can understand this: "In reality, it was his only chance to get this record."

Ricciardo and the second magic sector

Ricciardo, however, reports no problem: "No, at least not what he felt, he mentioned it yesterday at the briefing, but I do not know how much it has really affected. " He himself had never had problems with that.

The 29-year-old surprised some with his Pole, but not himself: "I would not say it would be a surprise, I knew the pace was there, it was just to succeed." He had not really expected the pole because his first sector was not clean enough, he said. What curve does it mean exactly, it does not reveal. The Polerunde sound record shows that he had a slight cross between turns 2 and 3 and that he could not accelerate optimally to the next straight line. Anyway, at the end of the first sector, he was 0.202 seconds behind Verstappen.

Then it was all the better: "I have the feeling that in the fast corners, so the curves 7 to 11, I really have it in. The slow turns of the third sector were clean, but less satisfying: "Especially in this hairpin bend, turn 13, you still feel that you're too slow to drive cleanly, but if you're wasting time at the exit and I knew the turn was over clean than the one before, but I was not sure it was good enough. "

It is now up to Red Bull to set up the right starting position on Sunday. "We are well placed", rubs his hands to Verstappen, who seems to have forgotten the problems. Ricciardo is a little more cautious, after the bulls' dominating show, on Friday: "It's too early to say that it's only between us two, the road to Turn 1 is long and then the wear and tear of tires are on The weekend is very strong, a faster car can double here, I would say we are in a good position, but we should stay grounded and do what we always do. "

Which of course should not mean that you are duplicating Baku. "Nobody wants that, so we'll give it [Christian Horner] Do not give a heart attack tomorrow. At least with joy, "says Verstappen," I do not even think about Baku anymore. "