Motor racing-Verstappen on pole in Mexico and chasing F1 record

MEXICO CITY -Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen swept to pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday with his sights set on a record 14th victory of the season.

The Dutch 25-year-old, who secured his second successive Formula One title this month with four races to spare, lapped the high-speed Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with a fastest time of one minute 17.775 seconds.

George Russell joined him on the front row, qualifying 0.005 ahead of seven-times world champion Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, with Red Bull's Mexican Sergio Perez the fourth fastest with the crowd cheering.

"It was a close one," said Verstappen, who was 0.304 faster than Russell.

"To be on pole here is of course amazing. It's a very long run to turn one so we do need a good start but anyway I think we have a quick car and that's what's most important.

"Checo (Perez) will be there tomorrow. I'm sure we have a quick race car. I hope it will be quite a fun race with a lot of action."

The pole was the 19th of Verstappen's career and he will be hoping to convert it into a fourth Mexican victory to take the outright record of most wins in a season from German greats Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who both managed 13.

Red Bull, fined $7 million on Friday for spending more than allowed last season, have won the last eight races and 15 of 19 so far.

MERCEDES HOPEFUL

Once-dominant Mercedes, who have yet to win this year, can take hope from history with the winner of the last two races at the high-altitude circuit coming from third on the grid.

The driver on pole has not won since 2016 and Hamilton won from third in 2019.

"The team deserved more today ... I feel like it was our pole to have and it was just a terrible lap from my