F1: Liam Lawson outqualifies Red Bull rival Sergio Perez to start 12th at Mexican Grand Prix

Liam Lawson will start Formula One’s Mexican Grand Prix in 12th place, and more significantly qualified ahead of Red Bull rival – and hometown hero – Sergio Perez.

After making it into the second qualifying session, Lawson’s RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda crashed and triggered a red flag with just over a minute to go, which prematurely ended the session before the Kiwi could complete his flying lap.

That left Lawson unable to improve on his best lap time, and saw him finish the session just 0.033s behind Tsunoda, who will start in 11th position – unless the damage sustained in his crash forces him to start from pit lane.

Red Bull stablemate and World Championship leader Max Verstappen will start in second place, as title rival Lando Norris managed third. Fresh from a 1-2 finish at last week’s US Grand Prix in Austin, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took pole position, while Charles Leclerc backs up his win by starting in fourth.

However, both RB cars advancing to the second qualifying session ahead of Perez is significant for Red Bull’s driver line-up.

Despite being in a superior car, with Red Bull having scored 508 more points than subsidiary Racing Bulls in 2024, Perez was the only driver across the two teams to not advance out of the first qualifying session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, in Mexico City.

And in familiar territory in his home race, Perez was unable to put a lap together that challenged the top 15, condemning the 34-year-old to the humiliation of an early exit in front of grandstands packed with Red Bull supporters.

Entering the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, Perez is a huge 204 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s lead in the Constructors’ Championship has been reeled in by McLaren, who hold a 40-point advantage at the top.

Despite Perez re-signing with Red Bull earlier this year on a contract for 2025 with a further option for 2026, the Mexican is by no means safe, especially if he proves to be the difference to McLaren at the top of the Constructors’ standings.

It is widely understood Lawson’s initial confirmation of six races in 2024 is an audition to succeed Perez in the Red Bull car next year; otherwise he will stay with RB to gain experience to do so once a seat in the senior team becomes available.

While Perez finished seventh to Lawson’s ninth in Texas, he did so in a car that has scored 508 more points than the RB over the course of the season.

It is also understood that despite scoring the majority of RB’s points over this season, Tsunoda is unlikely to be promoted up into Red Bull’s senior ranks. However, the Japanese driver has been afforded an end-of-season test drive with Red Bull after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Tsunoda’s place in the team is widely tied into his links to Honda, Red Bull’s engine supplier across its two teams.

However, Honda will leave Red Bull after 2025 to join Aston Martin, and could see Tsunoda follow if a seat opens up in the team – bankrolled by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

The Mexican Grand Prix begins at 9am on Monday (NZ time).

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.