Lewis Hamilton rolled back the years and produced a stunning qualifying performance in Mexico City to claim his first pole position for Ferrari and extend his Formula 1 record to 105. The seven-time world champion bounced back from a troubled start to the weekend, edging Mercedes' George Russell by just 0.009 seconds, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc completing the top three.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Hamilton, who had endured a frustrating Friday after an engine issue forced him to stop during second practice. The problem also cost him valuable long-run running, leaving him with plenty of work to do before qualifying.
Hamilton, however, saved his best for last. After sitting fourth on the opening runs in Q3, he delivered a superb final lap to snatch pole from Russell. It was his first pole position since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, ending a wait of more than three years, and his first since joining Ferrari.
A special pole in Mexico
Hamilton said he felt great and was at a loss for words, adding that the team did a pretty good job with the setup over the weekend and that it felt special to take his first pole for Ferrari in Mexico.
The Briton also reflected on what the achievement meant after a challenging start to life with the Italian outfit, drawing inspiration from watching Michael Schumacher dominate during his Ferrari years. To have a first Ferrari pole took him back to watching Schumacher take all those poles and wins at Ferrari, he said.
Oldest pole-sitter in over four decades
Hamilton's latest achievement took his career pole tally to 105, extending his advantage at the top of the all-time list. He also became the oldest driver to take an F1 pole since Mario Andretti did so for Ferrari in 1982, aged 42.
At 41, Hamilton is the fifth-oldest driver to secure pole position in Formula 1 history. Nino Farina remains the oldest, having achieved the feat at 47 years and two months.
The result was also a significant breakthrough for Ferrari, who had gone 30 races without a pole position. Hamilton, a two-time winner of the Mexican Grand Prix, will now look to turn his qualifying success into a race victory. The last Ferrari driver to win from pole in Mexico was Carlos Sainz in 2024.
Antonelli's title dream still alive
While Hamilton celebrated a landmark afternoon, Kimi Antonelli remained firmly in contention for a historic championship. The 20-year-old qualified fifth but will start fourth after Max Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty.
Antonelli can become the youngest world champion in F1 history, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record of 23 years. He can afford to finish as low as ninth on Sunday and still secure the title, provided the other championship permutations fall in his favour.
Russell and Hamilton remain among those who can delay his coronation. Antonelli is also chasing another piece of history, as he looks to become the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
