Carlos Sainz admits copying Lando Norris technique to earn Mexico City Grand Prix pole position

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Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is making sure that his time with the Italian racing team ends in the strongest way possible before he’s replaced by Lewis Hamilton next season.

Carlos Sainz put in two unbelievable laps in the final qualifying session to secure Ferrari’s latest pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

His teammate Charles Leclerc could only secure a place on the second row of the grid alongside Norris after a sloppy final run at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Although Leclerc is leading Sainz in the Drivers’ Championship, neither racer is seriously looking at winning that title as a realistic goal.

However, with Sergio Perez starting in 18th, Ferrari now have a fantastic chance to leapfrog Red Bull in the team standings and will have one eye on potentially catching McLaren, particularly with Oscar Piastri also suffering a Q1 exit.

After qualifying, Sainz spoke to Sky Sports F1 and talked Karun Chandhok through his superb lap.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

He was superb throughout the lap, but Sainz admitted that one thing Norris has been doing this season inspired him to try one technique that shaved fractions of a second off his time.

Norris’s McLaren doesn’t appear to have the same advantage as it did before the autumn break.

He’ll be hoping Sainz can give him a nice tow down the long run to the first corner as a thank you for showing him how to improve his qualifying time.

Carlos Sainz admits copying Lando Norris during Mexico Grand Prix pole position lap

Talking to Chandhok about his pole position lap and in particular the final few corners, Sainz said: “Yeah, I’m just trying to minimise [the] distance.

“These simulator drivers nowadays and sim racing drivers, they all do very short distances.

“And normally at that corner, we stay around the outside.

“For me, once I’m full throttle and I’m not having to fight the rear anymore, I just try to do a short distance.

“I saw Lando doing this in a few tracks and I said, ‘I’m going to do that in Mexico, so I make sure I don’t leave any lap time.’”

Lando Norris still in the headlines after Max Verstappen controversy

One of the biggest talking points heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix was the penalty Norris was handed for overtaking Verstappen off the track in Austin.

McLaren lost their right to review appeal, although talks between the drivers look set to continue about whether the current rules are satisfactory.

Steward Derek Warwick has been affected by the response to Norris’s penalty but he was only following the rules as they’re currently written.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

The driver’s briefing in Mexico City was also unusual as the drivers discussed the matter with Oscar Piastri and George Russell also penalised in Austin for moves at the same corner.

All attention can now turn to Sunday’s race, and Martin Brundle was impressed with Sainz’s extreme approach to his laps.

He may have learned something from Norris about reaching the finish line faster than before, but he won’t want to copy the Brit’s defensive technique when starting alongside Verstappen going into the first corner.