Sergio Perez suffers Q1 elimination in Mexico, to start home race 18th

Sergio Perez will start his home race 18th on the grid after suffering a Q1 elimination at the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix. 

The struggling Red Bull driver could only set a time good enough for 18th and was only quicker than Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Sauber's Zhou Guanyu in the first part of qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez. 

It is the fifth time this season that Perez has failed to make it out of Q1 in qualifying. 

It marks the latest blow to Red Bull's hopes of defending their constructors' title, with the Milton Keynes outfit trailing McLaren by 40 points with five rounds remaining. 

Perez is under huge pressure to retain his Red Bull seat for 2025, despite holding a valid contract. 

RB duo Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are vying to stake a claim to replace Perez if the Mexican cannot turnaround his form.