MEXICO CITY – Outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz couldn’t help but feel mixed emotions as he secured pole as the team’s upturn in form continued in Mexico.

Sainz, who will make way for Lewis Hamilton next year, drove two impressive Q3 laps and beat Max Verstappen by 0.2 seconds to secure his sixth Formula 1 career pole.

Ferrari has emerged as a contender for the constructors’ championship of late: Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix in September and led a one-two finish in Austin last week.

Sainz said the new reality made it difficult to process the feeling.

Asked how nice it felt to potentially end his tenure at Ferrari on a high note, Sainz said: “Very sweet, considering how good the car is and how well I’ve been driving recently, it is very optimistic going into the last five races.”

“At the same time it is bittersweet because it makes me feel like Ferrari could be in contention for the world championship next year and I won’t be there to take advantage of it. I feel like I played a pretty big role. “I spent four years trying to get the team ready to fight for the championship next year, you know?

“The fact that I’m driving well, being fast with the car and starting in five races leaves me a little behind… I don’t know how to say it, but I don’t have a very good feeling.” But it is what It is.

“I will try to win more races, be on the podium for as long as possible in these five races, enjoy that and then we will think about next year.”

In the constructors’ championship, Ferrari is in third place, 48 points behind leader McLaren, while Red Bull is only eight points ahead.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris start between Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc, but are locked in a battle in F1’s other championship, the race for the drivers’ title.

Sainz hopes this battle could help him consolidate his lead on the long stretch to the first corner.

“Relatively confident because I know my race pace should be good tomorrow. The biggest difficulty will probably be the exit into Turn 1 and the starting position with the slipstream. I think you can still defend yourself, you can still manage to hold on until Turn 1, starting position, and that will be my goal tomorrow.

“I just have to make sure I get a good zero to 100 mark, which is the most important thing when you start from pole. Just make sure you get a good jump. From then on I will obviously do my best to defend. I’ve got that.’ Two guys behind are fighting for pretty important things tomorrow and the run to the first corner should be interesting in that respect and I’ll try to hold on to first place.