Verstappen stripped of pole at Mexican Grand Prix

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been knocked from the pole position to fourth for the start of Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix after race stewards determined he drove at unsafe speeds after Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas crashed late in qualifying.

The change will put Ferrari 1-2 with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton will start third as he chases the season championship.

Verstappen, the two-time defending race champion, had pulled out a stunning lap to dislodge Ferrari, but he did it while driving past the crashed car of Bottas, who was just ahead of him went he went into the wall in the final sector.

Race stewards imposed the penalty more than three hours after qualifying ended.

Ferrari will start from pole for the sixth consecutive race.

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