Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has claimed pole position for the Mexican Grand Prix while Lewis Hamilton will attempt to secure his sixth Formula One world title from fourth on the grid.

Verstappen posted a best 1 minute 14.758 seconds around the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City on Saturday for the second pole of his career.

Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel were next for Ferrari, 0.266 and 0.412 seconds behind respectively.

The Italian team, with an upgraded engine, had taken the last five poles.

Hamilton was well off the pace set by Verstappen but his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas could manage only sixth behind Alexander Albon.

Hamilton will clinch the drivers’ championship if he outscores Bottas, who crashed on his final qualifying lap, by 14 points this weekend.