Verstappen on competition: 'Ferrari look strong, as do Mercedes'

Max Verstappen wants the Grand Prix victory in Mexico too, but realises it will not be easy. While the Dutchman was not in the top three in the first two practice sessions, Ferrari and Mercedes made a good impression. Verstappen therefore expects both teams to compete for victory, he said in the Red Bull Racing press release.

Mercedes is still waiting for its first win this season. While it has been close on several occasions in recent race weekends, it has not yet managed to take victory. Ferrari's last victory dates back to mid-July when Charles Leclerc won in Austria.

Verstappen therefore knows he needs to be sharp, even if the first sessions were not entirely satisfactory. "It was a tricky day to get a read on things, as is typical in Mexico with the altitude," he explained. "It is very easy to make mistakes in these conditions so overall I think we had an ok day."

Confidence among the reigning world champion is high, but he is wary of the competition. "Ferrari look strong, as do Mercedes, so it is going to be a tough battle tomorrow in qualifying," Verstappen said. The driver finished in fourth and sixth positions in the first two practice sessions.