Hamilton clinches pole at Mexico City, handing Mercedes a strong start to the 2026 season
Lewis Hamilton out‑qualified George Russell and Charles Leclerc to claim pole for the Mexico City Grand Prix, giving Mercedes an early advantage in the 2026 campaign.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest lap in qualifying at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday, securing pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton’s lap of 1:16.874 edged out his teammate George Russell, who finished second in the session, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the top three. The result gives Mercedes a solid platform heading into the race weekend and adds momentum to Hamilton’s title defence early in the 2026 season.
According to Autosport, Hamilton’s performance was a blend of precision and confidence, with the British driver nailing the perfect apex through the iconic Peraltada curve before extracting maximum grip on the long back straight. Russell, who had been the pace‑setter in the earlier Q2 segment, was unable to improve his time in the final minutes, while Leclerc’s Ferrari showed promising single‑lap speed but fell short of the Mercedes pace.
The pole marks Hamilton’s first of the 2026 season and his 105th career pole overall, extending his record tally. It also underscores Mercedes’ continued technical development, especially in the high‑altitude conditions of Mexico City where aerodynamic efficiency is crucial. Ferrari, meanwhile, will look to translate Leclerc’s qualifying pace into race performance, hoping to close the gap to the dominant Mercedes package.
For Indian fans: The race will start at 2:00 pm IST on Sunday, and the qualifying session began at 12:00 pm IST. Indian viewers can watch live on FanCode, which holds the streaming rights for the 2026 season. The time‑zone shift means the race will finish in the early evening, making it a convenient slot for weekend viewing across the country.
Mercedes will aim to convert Hamilton’s pole into a race win, while Russell will be keen to challenge his teammate and keep the intra‑team battle alive. Ferrari will be looking to capitalize on Leclerc’s strong qualifying showing, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will be watching closely to see if the Mercedes pace can threaten his own championship ambitions.
Source: Autosport