The Lie of the Pole: A Tale with an Uncertain Ending
Ah, pole position. That glorious and ephemeral moment in which a driver feels like the king of the world, the master and lord of the asphalt, the guy who has more chances than anyone else to win. Or so they want us to believe. Because in the picturesque and muggy setting of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, starting first on Sunday is just a nice memory for Saturday’s photo album. A participation medal with the smell of burning fuel.
It turns out that, according to data and statistics lovers (those beings who find pleasure in spoiling the magic of sport), starting from pole position is not a direct ticket to the highest podium. What a disappointment, right? After all that theater on Saturday, the clean laps and the frayed nerves, the only thing you have won is the right to be the first to reach the first corner. Touching. However, here comes the ironic twist of the plot: to win in Mexico, it is absolutely vital to sneak into the top four party. That’s right, in the last decade, the winner has always started from one of the first two rows. One hundred percent effective. It seems the key is not to be number one, but simply not to be an absolute disaster on Saturday. A consolation for the mediocre.
The Lucky Ones Who DID Turn Pole Into Victory
Since the Grand Prix returned to the Mexican capital, only four lucky individuals have managed the feat of not screwing it up after setting the best time. An exclusive and short list: Nico Rosberg in 2015, Lewis Hamilton in 2016, Max Verstappen in 2022 and the newcomer to the club, Carlos Sainz in 2024. Four names in nine editions. The odds aren’t exactly overwhelming. It is almost as if the car that goes first was cursed, destined to suffer a hydraulic failure, an error in strategy or simply to be devoured by the desire of those who come behind.
But the real lesson, the “life hack” of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, is that placing yourself in the first two lines is the true “hack” of the system. The furthest position from which anyone has won here is fourth, a feat achieved by Hamilton himself in 2019. That is, if you are not on the second row or further forward, you better pray for a miracle or for a monumental chaos at the start that eliminates half of the grid. Championship strategies, without a doubt.
Verstappen, Norris and the Impossible Comebacks
And then there is Max Verstappen, who treats the Mexican circuit as if it were his backyard. The Dutchman has won here five times, demonstrating enviable flexibility: once from pole, twice from third position and another couple from second. It seems like he doesn’t care where he starts; If you have a competitive car, victory is yours. An admirably irritating attitude for his rivals.
This brings us to the highlight of the weekend: Lando Norris took his first pole in Mexico. At last! It marked a difference of more than two tenths over the Ferraris, which in current F1 parlance is basically an eternity. Everyone expects me to win from start to finish, right? Well, history suggests not to trust appearances. Meanwhile, Verstappen and his Red Bull will have to climb from fifth position, and his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, from eighth. According to our friend the record book, coming back from so far back to win is about as likely as finding a hundred dollar bill on the paddock floor. Highly unlikely.
That epic comeback by the Frenchman Alain Prost in 1990, who won from thirteenth position, is very far away. A feat from another era, when pilots had to fight with wooden steering wheels and the danger was real. Today, his countryman Isack Hadjar honors him on his helmet, a nice nostalgic gesture that will not change the fact that, in modern F1, strategy and starting position often outweigh pure talent to come back.
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