Is Mercedes in perfect place for first 2022 F1 win after missing out on Mexican GP pole?

At the same time, Verstappen became the only driver to dip below 1min 18sec. He improved further on his final run where Russell had his (slower) lap deleted for exceeding track limits and Hamilton was third-fastest.

“Unfortunately the first [lap] wasn’t quite good enough,” said the seven-time champion, but he remained optimistic, as well he might given the long run to Turn 1, which often gives drivers on the second row a slipstream slingshot into the lead.

“I think this is such an amazing showing, I’m really proud of my team. It just shows that perseverance and never giving up can pay off.”

Sergio Perez, cheered throughout the session by his home crowd, will start alongside Hamilton. Carlos Sainz will be joined on the third row by a flying Valtteri Bottas who was among the top three teams throughout qualifying.

A subdued Charles Leclerc, who crashed in FP2, starts seventh alongside Lando Norris, while the Alpine duo of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon are ninth and tenth.

Mercedes had gone into qualifying after topping the FP3 session; Russell ahead of Hamilton, and almost half a second clear of Verstappen, who was third on the timesheet.

The 2022 champion looked be struggling in Q1 too, abandoning his first flying lap, after his car slid into the first two corners, his tyres apparently not up to temperature.

He was soon on the pace, but half a tenth of a second off Hamilton, to finish Q1 second, ahead of Leclerc and Bottas, who was 0.353sec off the fastest time.

Both Aston Martins and Williams were eliminated in this first part of qualifying, along with Mick Schumacher.

Q2 brought a familiar grumble from the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly: the Frenchman complaining that he had no grip for his “clean” lap, and he was eliminated along with his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu and Daniel Ricciardo.

Bottas was still revelling in his Alfa, finishing sixth behind the tightly-packed pole contenders: Hamilton was fastest with a 1min 18.552sec lap, with Sainz 0.08sec behind. Trailing by a further 0.05sec was Russell, who pipped Verstappen by 0.01sec.

Within touching distance to his team-mate by half a tenth was Perez.

But, with the mistakes of Q3, Mercedes’ ultimate pace in the duel with Red Bull wasn’t seen, and the team will be dreaming of its first win of 2022.

“To be on pole here is amazing,” said Verstappen. “Of course it’s a very long run to Turn 1 so we need a good start.”

2022 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying results