Lewis Hamilton claimed his first pole position for Ferrari at the Mexican Grand Prix, beating George Russell by just nine thousandths of a second in a dramatic qualifying session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Hamilton delivered a landmark qualifying performance in Mexico City, securing his first pole position since joining Ferrari and narrowly denying Mercedes driver George Russell in a tense conclusion to Q3.
The seven-time world champion produced a 1:16.514 on his final flying lap, edging Russell’s 1:16.523 by just 0.009 seconds. Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc completed the top three, 0.119 seconds off Hamilton’s benchmark, giving the Italian team two cars inside the leading three positions.
The result marked a significant milestone for Hamilton, who also became the fifth-oldest pole-sitter in Formula 1 history, ranking between Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell.
Ferrari had shown promising pace throughout the weekend, but recent qualifying performances had demonstrated that strong practice results did not necessarily translate into pole position. This time, Hamilton converted that potential into a decisive result when it mattered most.
Hamilton Delivers as Russell Falls Just Short
The fight for pole remained open throughout Q3, with Leclerc initially setting the pace on a 1:16.647, the fastest lap of the weekend at that stage.
Max Verstappen subsequently moved within 0.045 seconds of the Ferrari driver, while Norris also emerged as a contender during the opening runs.
Hamilton’s initial effort of 1:17.069 left him with substantial time to find, but the Ferrari driver responded when the field returned to the circuit for its final attempts.
Russell briefly appeared to have secured pole position after posting a 1:16.523, moving ahead of the Ferraris as the session approached its conclusion.
However, Hamilton immediately improved to a 1:16.514, finding the nine thousandths required to claim the leading position.
Leclerc was unable to improve sufficiently on his final attempt and remained third, while Verstappen also failed to lower his time after making a mistake during the closing stages.
It left Hamilton at the top of the classification and secured Ferrari’s strongest qualifying result of the weekend.
Verstappen Fourth as Antonelli Moves Up the Grid
Verstappen qualified fourth with a 1:16.692, ahead of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who completed the top five on a 1:16.707.
However, the Red Bull driver’s one-place grid penalty, imposed following his FP2 collision with Liam Lawson, means Antonelli is set to inherit fourth position on the starting grid.
The Italian therefore heads into Sunday’s race from the second row, with an opportunity to secure his maiden Formula 1 world championship.
Antonelli needs just two points to mathematically confirm the title, having established a substantial advantage over his championship rivals.
For Mercedes, the weekend also presents a potential opportunity to secure the constructors’ championship, although the team faces a much more demanding task against Ferrari.
The championship situation adds another dimension to a race in which Hamilton and Russell will share the front row, while Antonelli looks to capitalise on his starting position.
Norris Fastest in Q2, but Piastri Suffers Early Exit
McLaren experienced contrasting fortunes during qualifying.
Lando Norris had appeared particularly competitive in Q2, setting the fastest time of the session with a 1:16.728, ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc.
However, the Briton was unable to maintain that advantage in the final segment and eventually qualified sixth with a 1:16.824, more than three tenths behind Hamilton.
His team-mate Oscar Piastri endured a considerably more difficult afternoon.
The Australian was eliminated in Q2 after managing only 13th place, recording a 1:17.646. His final time was 0.918 seconds slower than Norris’s leading Q2 effort.
Piastri’s elimination was one of the session’s most notable surprises, particularly given the pace Norris had demonstrated in the same McLaren machinery.
Nico Hülkenberg narrowly missed out on Q3 in 11th for Audi, followed by Franco Colapinto in 12th, Piastri in 13th, Gabriel Bortoleto in 14th, Oliver Bearman in 15th and Carlos Sainz in 16th.
Racing Bulls Put Both Cars Into Q3
Racing Bulls enjoyed a productive qualifying session, with both Lawson and Arvid Lindblad progressing into the final ten.
Lawson qualified eighth with a 1:17.029, ahead of Lindblad, who took ninth on a 1:17.117.
However, Lawson’s one-place grid penalty, also stemming from the FP2 incident involving Verstappen, means the two drivers are set to exchange positions on the starting grid.
Isack Hadjar secured seventh for Red Bull, while Pierre Gasly completed the Q3 classification in tenth for Alpine.
The final segment featured closely matched performances across several teams, with the battle for positions behind the leading contenders remaining competitive until the closing runs.
Alonso Stoppage Interrupts Q1 as Haas Makes Driver Change
The opening qualifying segment was interrupted by a red flag after Fernando Alonso stopped his Aston Martin on track in the stadium section.
The Spaniard’s car suffered a hydraulic pressure problem, bringing his session to an early conclusion.
Alonso subsequently received a reprimand from the stewards after failing to replace the steering wheel on his car following the stoppage.
He qualified 18th, behind Williams driver Alex Albon.
Elsewhere, Ryo Hirakawa made his qualifying appearance for Haas following the unexpected removal of Esteban Ocon from the team’s line-up during the race weekend.
Hirakawa qualified 19th, ahead of Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, who completed the classification.
Haas has declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Ocon’s absence.
Ferrari Heads Into Sunday With a Front-Row Advantage
Hamilton’s pole position gives Ferrari a strong opportunity heading into Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix, particularly with Leclerc starting third.
Mercedes remains firmly in contention, however, with Russell alongside Hamilton on the front row and Antonelli set to move into fourth following Verstappen’s penalty.
For Hamilton, the achievement represents more than another qualifying success. It is his first pole position in Ferrari colours and comes at a circuit where the margins between the leading teams have been exceptionally tight.
Just nine thousandths separated the leading two drivers, underlining how finely balanced the contest was.
With Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren all represented inside the top seven, Sunday’s race promises another competitive chapter in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
For now, though, Hamilton has delivered the standout qualifying performance in Mexico City- and placed Ferrari at the front of the grid.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari SF-26 | 1:17.341 | 1:16.953 | 1:16.514 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes W17 | 1:17.659 | 1:17.027 | 1:16.523 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-26 | 1:17.506 | 1:16.944 | 1:16.633 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull RBPT Ford RB22 | 1:17.942 | 1:16.876 | 1:16.692 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes W17 | 1:17.918 | 1:17.133 | 1:16.707 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL40 | 1:17.733 | 1:16.728 | 1:16.824 |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull RBPT Ford RB22 | 1:17.385 | 1:17.047 | 1:16.900 |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford VCARB 03 | 1:18.097 | 1:17.207 | 1:17.029 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford VCARB 03 | 1:18.210 | 1:17.135 | 1:17.117 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Mercedes A526 | 1:18.194 | 1:17.278 | 1:17.53 |
| — | —————- | ————— | ———- | ———- | ———- |
| 11 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi F1 R26 | 1:17.868 | 1:17.306 | |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine Mercedes A526 | 1:18.517 | 1:17.640 | |
| 13 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL40 | 1:17.659 | 1:17.646 | |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi F1 R26 | 1:17.727 | 1:17.680 | |
| 15 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari VF-26 | 1:18.083 | 1:17.847 | |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes FW48 | 1:18.521 | 1:18.885 | |
| — | —————- | ————— | ———- | ———- | ———- |
| 17 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW48 | 1:18.630 | ||
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Honda AMR26 | 1:18.908 | ||
| 19 | Ryō Hirakawa | Haas Ferrari VF-26 | 1:18.958 | ||
| 20 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Honda AMR26 | 1:19.072 | ||
| 21 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac Ferrari MAC-26 | 1:19.105 | ||
| 22 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac Ferrari MAC-26 | 1:19.852 |
