FACTS AND STATS: Bottas maintains his Mexico qualifying form as Alfa Romeo surprise with two cars in the top 10

Qualifying in Mexico proved to be exceptionally exciting, with Ferrari stunning the field by grabbing the front row as Charles Leclerc took pole by the narrowest of margins. That wasn’t the only shock out there in a frenetic session, as the super quick Lando Norris exited in Q1 while Alfa Romeo jumped up the pecking order in fine fashion.

Here are the best facts and stats from the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez…

• Ferrari’s last front row lock out was Monaco in 2022, and they did initially have one in Austin last year before Charles Leclerc was handed a penalty.

• This is Leclerc’s first front row start of the year that hasn’t been on a Sprint weekend, as the Monegasque driver ties Fernando Alonso’s career total of poles at 22. He has also grabbed back-to-back poles for the first time this year.

• This is the sixth front row lock out in the last eight Mexico City Grands Prix, with Mercedes managing the feat in 2015, 2016 and 2021 while Red Bull did likewise in 2018. Ferrari have added 2023 to their front row lock out in 2019.

READ MORE: Leclerc takes sensational pole ahead of Sainz and Verstappen as Ferrari lock out front row in Mexico City

• All of Leclerc’s race wins have come from front row starts, and he has now clinched the season head-to-head against Carlos Sainz by out-qualifying him for the 12th time this season.

• Sainz won in Singapore from the front row, albeit that day he was on pole.

• Max Verstappen was third, and he won this race in 2021 from P3 on the grid.

• Daniel Ricciardo grabbed fourth, and the last time AlphaTauri started in the top four was Pierre Gasly at Qatar in 2021. The team’s previous best start this year was eighth for Yuki Tsunoda in Baku.

• This is the Australian’s best Q3 performance since Spa in 2021.

• Sergio Perez qualified fifth, his lowest start in Mexico since 2019 as he was 0.160s slower than his team mate.

• Lewis Hamilton was sixth, the first time he has qualified lower than third in Mexico. He now leads George Russell 10-9 in qualifying this season.

• Oscar Piastri qualified P7, which meant there was no McLaren in the top six for only the second time in the last 11 races after Monza.

• Russell grabbed eighth, having started on the front row here last season.

READ MORE: 'I will not give up' – Perez's season has been tough but with huge support in Mexico he's determined to end on a high

• Valtteri Bottas was P9, maintaining his record of reaching Q3 every time he’s come to this track. He also clinched the season head-to-head against his team mate, as he leads 12-7.

• Zhou Guanyu was P10, in his second Q3 appearance of the season, having qualified a career-best fifth in Hungary.

• Gasly was 11th, meaning there was no Alpine in Q3 after both cars made the top 10 in both Qatar and Austin. He also clinched his season head-to-head against his team mate.

• Nico Hulkenberg was 12th, tying his lowest ever start in Mexico in six visits.

• Fernando Alonso was P13, having failed to reach Q3 in Austin as well after getting to the top 10 in the first 17 race weekends this season.

• Alex Albon could only manage P14, having originally made Q3 until his lap time was deleted for track limit infringements.

• Esteban Ocon suffered his third Q1 elimination in the last seven races, having also lost out in Zandvoort and Monza.

READ MORE: Williams believe first points will help Sargeant after 'stunning job' in Austin

• Kevin Magnussen was out in Q1 for the 11th time this season.

• Lance Stroll missed out in Q1 for the fifth consecutive time at this track.

• Logan Sargeant suffered his 14th Q1 elimination of the year.

• Lando Norris was eliminated in Q1 for the third time in 2023 after Jeddah and Miami.