Lewis Hamilton ends three‑year pole drought with Ferrari in Mexico City
Lewis Hamilton clinched his first pole position for Ferrari – and his first pole in over three years – at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, edging out teammate Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell.
Lewis Hamilton secured a dramatic pole position for Ferrari at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, marking his first pole since the 2022 British Grand Prix and his inaugural pole in a Ferrari‑red livery. The 38‑year‑old Brit topped the qualifying session with a lap time of 1:16.842, just 0.124 seconds clear of teammate Charles Leclerc, while Mercedes’ George Russell completed the top three.
How Hamilton delivered the lap
Hamilton’s pole‑winning lap came on a medium‑compound tyre, exploiting the high‑altitude conditions of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to extract maximum grip. The former seven‑time world champion said in post‑qualifying comments that the team’s recent aerodynamic upgrades and a revised power‑unit map gave him the confidence to push to the limit. Ferrari’s technical director, Enrico Cardile, praised the driver’s ability to adapt to the circuit’s long straights and tight chicanes, noting that the car’s balance was “perfectly tuned for a single‑lap attack.”
The result also broke a three‑year pole drought for Hamilton, who had last started from the front of the grid at Silverstone in 2022. It underscores Ferrari’s resurgence after a challenging start to the season, with the team now sitting second in the Constructors’ Championship, just five points behind Red Bull Racing.
Implications for the championship
Hamilton’s pole not only boosts his personal morale but also adds pressure on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who qualified fourth after a difficult run. With the Mexican race scheduled for Sunday, 2 October, the pole gives Ferrari a strategic advantage heading into the sprint race and the main Grand Prix. If Hamilton can convert the front‑row start into a podium finish, he could close the gap to Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings, where he currently trails by 27 points.
For Indian fans, the race will be broadcast live on FanCode, with the qualifying session starting at 02:00 IST and the race kicking off at 04:00 IST on Sunday. The time zone shift means Indian viewers can catch the full action in the early morning, a prime slot for F1 enthusiasts across the country.
Source: Formula1.com