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Mexico City - Max Verstappen took pole position and Valtteri Bottas crashed heavily in the final seconds of Saturday's dramatic qualifying session for Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who is chasing a hat-trick of Mexican triumphs for Red Bull, outpaced the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel with a best lap in one minute and 14.758 seconds.
Verstappen's success consoled him for missing out on pole at the same event last year when he was beaten by his then team mate Daniel Ricciardo, now with Renault, and gives him a great chance to add to his wins in 2017 and 2018.
Lewis Hamilton qualified in fourth place in his Mercedes, the champion-elect never finding the pace to challenge for a front row grid position, ahead of Red Bull's Alex Albon and Bottas who was sixth.
Hamilton will wrap up his sixth drivers world title if he can finish on the podium and 14 points ahead of Bottas, his only remaining rival this year.
Bottas lost control of his Mercedes at the high-speed sweeping Peraltada corner, veering off track and into the barriers.
He sat still in his car for several minutes, breathing heavily, before he climbed out.
Carlos Sainz was seventh ahead of his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris and the two Toro Rossos of Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly.