It would probably me too much to expect today's race to live up to the unpredictability and downright craziness of yesterday's qualifying, but we live in hope.
While Alex Albon wasn't able to come anywhere near how he'd performed in FP1 and FP3, we did at least have Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo to rely on.
Despite his problems yesterday, Albon is feeling much more confident today though starting from 14th he will have his work cut out.
Bottas, on the other hand, starts from ninth, just ahead of his teammate, as Alfa Romeo targets a double-points finish, like in Qatar.
And then there's Ricciardo, who stunned everyone, not just by finishing fourth on the timesheets, but by finishing ahead of Sergio Perez, the Mercedes pair and Oscar Piastri.
Despite Perez's assurances there remains much scepticism in terms of his future at Red Bull, and today offers both the Mexican and Ricciardo the perfect opportunity to serve notice.
McLaren are beginning to sound a bit like Mercedes used too, insisting on playing down their chances only to go out and obliterate pretty much the rest of the field. Though Piastri starts from a competitive seventh, teammate Lando Norris faces a tough afternoon after messing up in qualifying and ending up on the back row of the grid.
Nonetheless, the right strategy and a determined drive could yet see the Briton join his teammate in the points.
Mercedes has been unhappy all weekend, with Lewis Hamilton describing the difference in performance to Austin as "night and day". This clearly isn't a circuit that suits the W14 so it is likely that the German team will have to settle for best of the rest.
Aston Martin's decline continues, a situation not helped by the fact that - for the second weekend running - Lance Stroll will start from the pitlane after changes were made to his car under parc ferme conditions.
Having taken on a new engine and gear box, Yuki Tsunoda starts from the back of the grid alongside Logan Sargeant, who, having failed to post a time in Q1 was then hit with a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking under yellow flag conditions.
Pierre Gasly is probably Alpine's best hope of some points while, starting from eleventh, Nico Hulkenberg is likely to drop back down the order once the reality of Haas' 2023 car kicks in.
Mexico features the season's longest run to the first corner which is why Max Verstappen wasn't that bothered about losing out.
However, with Ferrari locking out the front row this will surely work against him as the Maranello pair will have no doubt spent much of the night working on a plan to keep him at bay.
Then again, if today proves to be anything like previous weekends, the Dutchman can afford to bide his time for the SF-23;s race pace rarely lives up to that shown in qualifying.
Nonetheless, id Verstappen can out -gen the Ferraris on the drag race to Turn 1 it will make his job that much easier, and though Ricciardo, Perez et al will be keen to get in on the action, each will be keeping a close watch on their mirrors.
After the pit stop frenzies of recent races, Pirelli is expecting a one-stopper today, albeit with two alternatives: starting on the medium before switching to the hard after around one third distance, or opting to start on the medium and lengthening the first stint to two thirds of the 71 lap race.
A two-stopper is a possibility, using a mix of medium and hards, but it's not as quick as one pit stop strategy.
The pitlane opens and the drivers begin to head out, among the first is pole-man Leclerc.
Air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 47 degrees. As was the case with qualifying it is bright and sunny. There is 0% chance of rain.
The race hasn't started but Alonso has been noted for speeding in the pitlane, while Piastri pits to have some sort of signage debris removed from underneath his car.
The pit exit closes.
"It will be a fascinating strategic race," Christian Horner tells Sky Sports, "it is traditionally a one-stop but you'll have to manage those tyres really gently in the first few laps.
"It's the usual thing, look after your tyres but pass the guy in front of you. We are running okay on the cooling, but it will be very tough."
"We need to be 1-2 after Turn 3," admits Fred Vasseur, "this is our first challenge, it is all about cooling the brakes and engine, which is easier in clean air.
"We know what we can do and how we can manage our race, Verstappen will do whatever he wants."
All are starting on mediums bar Albon and Ocon who are on hards and Norris who is on softs. As ever, the Aston Martins are on used rubber while the rest are on fresh.
They head off on the formation lap, all getting away cleanly.
The grid forms.
They're away! Both Ferraris get away well, but so does Verstappen who seeks to get between the pair who fail to close him off. On that long, long run to Turn 1 he is ahead of Sainz and alongside Leclerc with teammate Perez coming up on the outside.
Into Turn 1they are three abreast with Verstappen on the inside, Perez on the outside and Leclerc in the middle. As Perez turns in his right rear wheel touches Leclerc's left-front, the Red Bull is lifted into the air, before spinning off in a cloud of dust and frustration.
It's disaster for Mexican as the crowd sighs in disappointment.
Verstappen leads from Leclerc but the Ferrari driver has wing damage and will surely have to pit, meanwhile Piastri and Russell are battling for 6th with all the usual first lap argy-bargy.
At the end of Lap 1, it's: Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Piastri, Russell, Hulkenberg, Gasly and Zhou.
Perez pits at the end of Lap 1 but it is clear his race is over, the Mexican appearing to have suffered suspension damage.
"Some front wing damage but we stay out," Leclerc is told.
Having got up to 15th, Norris goes quickest in S2, as the endplate falls from Leclerc's front wing.
After 3 laps Verstappen leads by 2.14s.
On Lap 5 the VSC is deployed in order that Leclerc's endplate can be removed from the track.
Leclerc has been noted for driving in an unsafe condition, he has seemingly lost 5 to 10 points of downforce.
The Red Bull crew worked on Perez's car in a bid to get him back out but have now given up.
The VSC is withdrawn and the race resumes. Hamilton wastes no time in posting a new fastest lap (23.00) as he hunts down Ricciardo.
At the start of Lap 8 Hamilton makes a move under braking into Turn 1 but Ricciardo has it under control.
"The Alfa is quick on the straights," says Albon who is 11th and chasing Zhou.
"Maintain what you're doing with your brakes," Russell is told.
Tsunoda runs wide in Turn 1 and loses a position to Magnussen.
"The car is running hot," reports Hamilton, who is gulping in Ricciardo's dirty air.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City here.
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