The Austin disqualification shenanigans might have come back to haunt Lewis Hamilton as well as Max Verstappen after a dramatic qualifying session at the Mexican GP left fans craving for more. As qualifying began, the traffic was piling up in Q1, inevitably leading to many investigations throughout qualifying. To make matters worse, Fernando Alonso spun down in turn 4, triggering yellow flags that affected Lando Norris the most. But the Brit might not be alone at the bottom for long, as Hamilton was under investigation once again!

It’s Deja Vu for the seven-time world champion all over again after a mediocre run in qualifying compared to the US GP. After Alonso’s incident triggered the yellow flags, Hamilton failed to slow down, violating the FIA’s directives which require drivers to slow down considerably at the sight of yellows. While the jury is still out on Hamilton’s starting position for the race, he’s joined by an unusual friend.

Max Verstappen sides with Lewis Hamilton after the Mexican GP puts him in the Brit’s boots

Usually, it’s been Mercedes or Ferrari that have been the ‘target’ of the FIA’s disapproval of the standards of driving/engineering, but this time, it was the Dutch Lion who lit up the FIA’s radar as well. Fighting for track position during a traffic-infested Q1, Max Verstappen was under investigation for blocking rivals at the end of the pit lane. On the other hand, George Russell too was captured by observant viewers blocking the pit exit for a while, with cars piling behind him.

Verstappen and Hamilton were both vocal about their sentiment that they had done nothing wrong. Verstappen was quoted by the race on Twitter, sharing, “I don’t think I did anything weird or wrong.” The three-time champion disagreed with the FIA’s investigation, seemingly surprised as to why the stewards had called him in.

He was not the only one though, as Lewis Hamilton was also called in to discuss his failure to slow down under the yellow flags caused by Alonso’s incident at turn 4.

Reflecting on his investigation, Hamilton was quoted saying, “The yellow flags? Yea I lifted, I was slower in the sector, so..” While Hamilton and Verstappen have found common ground in their appeal against the FIA’s scrutiny, fans are itching to know if the events of the US GP will unfold again. Will Hamilton catch a break? or will Verstappen take the rare hit?

READ MORE: Beating Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc Upholds Ayrton Senna’s 34-Year Old Mexican GP Legacy

Will the Ferraris keep Max Verstappen at bay?

When Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz crossed the line after their final Q3 lap, the Tifosi could not believe what had just happened. While the SF-23 had looked mediocre throughout the weekend, with Leclerc placing outside the top 10 in FP3, no one expected the front row. Especially Max Verstappen, who looked promising but failed to put a dent in the Monegasque’s lap time.

While Verstappen was let off relatively scot-free in Singapore for a similar impediment, the FIA are cracking down on the punishment for the offense – opting to hand out grid penalties! With Mercedes and Red Bull under threat from the FIA, the tables have turned for Ferrari!

Charles Leclerc himself had not expected he would be lining up on pole for Sunday’s race, but it was a pleasant surprise for the 5-time GP winner. What might instill further confidence in the Ferrari duo is the fact that they beat Verstappen on merit this time around. Unlike last week, when it was because Verstappen’s lap was discarded.

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While the jury is still out on what’s going to happen to the drivers, the fans can rest knowing that Sunday’s race is going to be full of surprises, some good, some disastrous. Only time will tell who comes out on top at the Mexican GP!