Hamilton Takes First Ferrari Pole in Mexico by 0.009s
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Formula 1 pole position for Ferrari at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, beating George Russell by 0.009 seconds in a qualifying session that also produced a shock Q2 exit for Oscar Piastri.
Hamilton’s final lap of 1:16.514 secured the 105th pole of his career and ended a pole drought dating to 2023. Russell set a 1:16.523 for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc put the second Ferrari third on 1:16.633, according to the official Formula 1 qualifying report.
Hamilton found the lap when it mattered
The fight for pole remained open through the final Q3 runs. Hamilton delivered the decisive improvement, Russell fell less than one hundredth short, and Leclerc completed a Ferrari one-three. Max Verstappen qualified fourth after locking up on his final attempt, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli fifth.
The top five were separated by 0.193 seconds, making the grid margins especially important. Lando Norris could not convert McLaren’s strong final-practice pace and qualified sixth, followed by Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Pierre Gasly.
Lawson disqualification reshapes the starting order
Qualifying order is not the same as the provisional starting grid. Verstappen and Lawson each carry a one-place grid drop following their FP2 contact, as detailed in our earlier report on the Mexico stewards’ decisions. That moves Antonelli ahead of Verstappen. Lawson was later disqualified from qualifying for an MGU-K technical breach and permitted to start 22nd.
| Qualifying result | Driver | Q3 time | Provisional grid* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:16.514 | 1 |
| 2 | George Russell | 1:16.523 | 2 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | 1:16.633 | 3 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | 1:16.692 | 5 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | 1:16.707 | 4 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | 1:16.824 | 6 |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | 1:16.900 | 7 |
| DSQ | Liam Lawson | 1:17.029 | 22 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | 1:17.117 | 8 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | 1:17.153 | 9 |
| 11 | Nico Hülkenberg | 1:17.306 | 10 |
Piastri eliminated in Q2
Oscar Piastri was the most prominent driver to miss Q3. The McLaren driver finished 13th in Q2, behind Nico Hülkenberg and Franco Colapinto. The result leaves him well behind teammate Norris on the starting order at a circuit where passing is possible but tire temperatures, thin air and traffic can complicate recovery drives.
Fernando Alonso’s session ended in Q1 after Aston Martin told him to stop because of a suspected water-pressure issue connected to the energy-recovery system. Ryō Hirakawa qualified 19th in his first F1 qualifying session after replacing Esteban Ocon for the rest of the weekend. Our separate report explains Haas’s driver change and what the team has — and has not — disclosed.
What the front row means for Sunday
Hamilton and Russell will share the front row for Sunday’s 71-lap race, with Leclerc and Antonelli provisionally on row two. Hamilton’s advantage is narrow enough that the run to Turn 1, launch performance and slipstream effect could matter as much as qualifying pace.
The Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, November 1. The starting order remains provisional until the FIA issues its final grid.
Featured image: Archive photograph of Lewis Hamilton driving Ferrari’s SF-26 during qualifying for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix. It does not show the Mexico City session. Photo by Liauzh, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; source file.
