Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari during the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday, October 31. The British driver achieved a lap time of 1:16.514, narrowly beating Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.009 seconds.
This marks Hamilton’s 105th career pole, extending his Formula 1 record. At 41 years old, he becomes the oldest driver to start from pole position since Mario Andretti in 1982.
Hamilton’s achievement is also significant as he is now the only driver to have taken pole position for McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari. His last pole before this event was in 2023.
Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc qualified third with a time of 1:16.633. Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, initially qualified fourth but will start fifth due to a one-place grid penalty.
Verstappen’s penalty was incurred for an incident with Liam Lawson during Friday practice. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who qualified fifth, will therefore start from fourth position.
The top ten qualifiers for the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix were: 1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 2. George Russell (Mercedes), 3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 6. Lando Norris (McLaren), 7. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), 9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), 10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine).
However, Liam Lawson was later disqualified from qualifying after his Racing Bulls car failed to comply with technical regulations, demoting him to the back of the grid.
Hamilton expressed his satisfaction with the result, stating, “It’s been a really, really tough, challenging weekend… but we’ve really done a really good job with the setup over the weekend.”
He added, “It feels special to be in Mexico and get that.” The pole position also evoked memories of Michael Schumacher’s era with Ferrari for Hamilton.
It’s been a long time since I sat in this spot. I don’t even remember when I last achieved a pole position. And when I look back at the journey I started with Ferrari, with all the challenges and ups and downs we’ve experienced… it feels great to be able to reward them with a pole position now. And then to take your first pole position for Ferrari… wow, that immediately reminds me of the time I saw Michael achieve all those pole positions and victories in the Ferrari. It is very, very special.
The qualifying session followed a challenging Friday for Hamilton, where his car stopped on track, preventing him from completing a crucial long run during practice.
Despite this setback, Hamilton delivered a clean final Q3 lap, improving significantly after Leclerc had held a provisional advantage of over 0.4 seconds earlier in the session.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez presents unique challenges due to its high altitude, situated over 2,200 meters above sea level. This thin air reduces aerodynamic downforce and engine power, while also affecting braking efficiency.
The circuit features a 1.2-kilometer main straight, with the distance from pole position to the first corner measuring 830 meters. This long run to Turn 1 is a critical factor for the race start.
Hamilton joined Ferrari for the 2025 season, and his current contract extends through 2027 with an option for 2028.
This 2026 season has seen a stronger performance from Hamilton compared to his challenging debut year with Ferrari, including a victory earlier in the year at the Barcelona Grand Prix.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli is on the verge of securing the world title this weekend. A top-nine finish for Antonelli would confirm him as champion if Russell wins, or a top-ten finish if Hamilton is victorious.
Leclerc has noted that the 2026 regulations have introduced unfamiliar driving situations, and he continues to learn from Hamilton’s data.
