Ricciardo snatches pole from Verstappen in Mexico

Daniel Ricciardo denied Red Bull teammate a place in Formula 1's record books as he led a front-row lockout at the Mexican Grand Prix. Verstappen had looked odds on to become F1's youngest polesitter in history but Ricciardo sprung up at the death to pip the Dutchman with a new Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez lap record.

The advantage Red Bull have enjoyed this weekend isn't likely to be replicated in Brazil or Abu Dhabi, so Verstappen might have seen his last chance to eclipse Sebastian Vettel's record.

Ricciardo led Red Bull's first front-row lockout since USA 2013, but there was little to celebrate for his teammate.

Verstappen blamed engine braking after losing out to his teammate, and was visibly disappointed, despite matching his best qualifying result of the season.

It's a front row lockout for the Bulls in Mexico! ???? #MexicoGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/498wptvC2F — Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 27, 2018

Behind the Red Bulls, Lewis Hamilton secured a superb third place which gives his chance of securing the title a significant boost.

Title rival Sebastian Vettel qualified behind him fourth – the Ferrari man needs to win and hope Hamilton finishes outside the top seven in order to keep the fight alive.

Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen will line up on the third row, while Renault converted their impressive Friday place into a fourth-row lockout as they look to seal fourth place in the constructors' championship ahead of Haas, who saw both cars go out in Q1.

Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson took ninth and 10th, but Sauber's decision to chase a Q3 spot cold come back to haunt them as they must start on the hypersoft tyres, while those just behind will be on more durable compounds.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

Q2

The home fans might have been disappointed to see Sergio Perez fall in Q3, but Force India were clearly hunting free tyre choice, having sent Perez and Esteban Ocon out on supersofts. Alonso will be sandwiched by them on the grid in 12th. Brendon Hartley qualified 14th with his teammate Pierre Gasly dropping out here ahead of engine penalties come race day.

Q1

Whatever it is about Mexico that Haas don't like, they'll need to work it out. Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean both went out in Q1 here for a second straight year among regular fallers Stoffel Vandoorne, Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin.