What happened: Ryō Hirakawa qualified 19th at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after encountering traffic on his final flying lap in Q1. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu informed him over team radio that his pace was within three-tenths of a second of Oliver Bearman prior to the congestion.

Why it matters: Hirakawa took over the car after Haas replaced Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. With Bearman placing 11th, the back-row starting position leaves Haas facing a steep climb to contest for points in Sunday's race.

What to watch: Hirakawa will make his Grand Prix start from the penultimate row on Sunday in Mexico City.