Hamilton claims 105th F1 pole with Ferrari at Mexico City GP
Synopsis
Lewis Hamilton's first pole for Ferrari — and his first in three years — came by the slimmest margin in Formula 1: just 0.009 seconds over George Russell at Mexico City. With championship leader Kimi Antonelli starting fifth and McLaren's Piastri stunned in Q2, Sunday's race just became a lot harder to predict.
Key Takeaways
Lewis Hamilton claimed the 105th pole of his F1 career at the Mexico City Grand Prix on 1 November — his first since joining Ferrari .
Hamilton's final lap was 1m 16.514s , beating George Russell by just 0.009 seconds .
Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson will each drop a grid position following a FP2 incident; Arvid Lindblad moves up to eighth.
Oscar Piastri was eliminated in Q2 , qualifying only 13th — the biggest shock of the session.
Fernando Alonso was ordered to abort Q1 by Aston Martin due to a suspected ERS water pressure issue , ending up 18th .
Ryo Hirakawa made his F1 qualifying debut for Haas , replacing Esteban Ocon and finishing P19 .
Lewis Hamilton ended a three-year pole position drought on 1 November, claiming the 105th pole of his Formula 1 career in qualifying at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, now racing for Ferrari, edged out Mercedes driver George Russell by a razor-thin 0.009 seconds with a stunning final lap of 1 minute 16.514 seconds.
A Landmark Lap for Hamilton
Hamilton's decisive final effort in qualifying propelled him to the top of the timing sheets, marking a significant personal milestone — his first pole position since joining Ferrari and his first since breaking his drought stretching back over three seasons. The lap underscored the Briton's enduring class at the highest level of motorsport even as his championship fortunes have ebbed.
Russell fell agonisingly short by just 0.009s, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) in third and reigning championship contender Max Verstappen in fourth — the Dutchman locking up on his final lap. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top five, with the entire quintet covered by less than two-tenths of a second, reflecting an extraordinarily tight grid.
Norris Fades, Piastri Stunned in Q2
McLaren, which had shown blistering pace in FP3, faded in qualifying. Lando Norris could only manage sixth place, while his teammate Oscar Piastri suffered the session's biggest shock — eliminated in Q2, unable to advance beyond 13th despite a high-pressure final run. Audi's Nico Hulkenberg qualified 11th and Alpine's Franco Colapinto took 12th, both ahead of Piastri.
A frustrated Isack Hadjar qualified seventh after an error on his first Q3 run hampered his session, while Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls secured eighth on the timing sheet — though he will drop a position following a racing incident with Verstappen in FP2. Verstappen faces the same penalty. Consequently, Arvid Lindblad moves up to eighth, with Alpine's Pierre Gasly completing the top ten.
Q1 Eliminations: Alonso and Sainz Exit Early
Fernando Alonso was among the notable casualties in Q1, qualifying 18th after Aston Martin instructed him to abort the session due to a suspected water pressure issue linked to the ERS system. Carlos Sainz outqualified his Williams teammate Alex Albon for the 14th time this season, with Albon settling for 17th. Gabriel Bortoleto took 14th in the second Audi, ahead of Ollie Bearman and Sainz.
Hirakawa Makes His F1 Qualifying Debut
Ryo Hirakawa, drafted in by Haas to replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City weekend, acquitted himself creditably on debut with a P19 in his first-ever Formula 1 qualifying session. Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez, and Valtteri Bottas completed the order at the back of the grid.
With Hamilton starting from pole and championship leader Antonelli fifth, the Mexican Grand Prix shapes up as a pivotal contest for the 2026 drivers' title.
Point of View
And the manner of this lap, a lights-out final effort in a session that was his to lose, suggests the 2026 Ferrari package is finally competitive across all track types. The subplot, however, is McLaren: Piastri's Q2 exit and Norris's fade from FP3 pace are precisely the kind of Saturday failures that cost championships. With Antonelli starting fifth and the front row split between Hamilton and Russell, the 2026 title race may have just taken a decisive turn.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Lewis Hamilton last take a Formula 1 pole position?
Hamilton had not taken an F1 pole for three years before his qualifying lap at the Mexico City Grand Prix on 1 November. His pole at Mexico City is also his first since joining Ferrari.
What was Hamilton's pole-position lap time at the Mexico City GP?
Hamilton set a time of 1 minute 16.514 seconds on his final run in Q3, which was enough to beat George Russell of Mercedes by just 0.009 seconds.
Why will Liam Lawson and Max Verstappen drop grid positions?
Both Lawson and Verstappen were involved in an incident during FP2 and will each be penalised with a one-place grid drop. As a result, Arvid Lindblad moves up to eighth on the starting grid.
Why did Oscar Piastri not make it through to Q3?
McLaren's Piastri was eliminated in Q2, qualifying only 13th despite a high-pressure final lap. It was the session's biggest shock, with Audi's Nico Hulkenberg (11th) and Alpine's Franco Colapinto (12th) both ahead of him.
Who is Ryo Hirakawa and why is he racing for Haas in Mexico?
Ryo Hirakawa is a Japanese driver who was called up by Haas to replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City weekend. He made his Formula 1 qualifying debut, finishing P19 in his first session.
