Mexico City Grand Prix · Debrief
Hamilton ends three-year pole drought with Mexico City stunner
Lewis Hamilton takes his 105th F1 pole in Mexico City, while Oscar Piastri exits in Q2 and Fernando Alonso’s stoppage disrupts qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton ended a wait of more than three years for pole position, producing a decisive final lap to put Ferrari on top in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix. His 1:16.514 was enough to beat George Russell by just 0.009 seconds.
The result is Hamilton’s 105th career pole. At 41, he is also the oldest driver to take pole since Mario Andretti at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix. His previous pole came at the Hungarian Grand Prix, more than three years ago. The latest result adds a striking chapter to the discussion around Hamilton’s 2026 Ferrari campaign.
Hamilton holds off Russell as penalties shuffle the grid
Charles Leclerc, who had looked a strong contender for pole, will start third. Kimi Antonelli qualified fifth but moves up to fourth after Max Verstappen received a one-place penalty for an on-track altercation with Liam Lawson in second practice.
Lando Norris starts sixth, ahead of Isack Hadjar. Racing Bulls team-mates Arvid Lindblad and Lawson follow, with Lawson’s one-place penalty swapping their positions. Pierre Gasly completes the top ten.
The grid order behind them was shaped by a costly Q2 for McLaren. The team began the session with used soft tyres on both cars. Oscar Piastri could not make that first attempt count, then made a mistake in the middle sector on his new-tyre run and aborted the lap. His next effort fell short of the Q3 cut, leaving him 13th. Norris, by contrast, set the fastest time in the session.
Alonso stoppage brings an early red flag
A suspected water-pressure problem linked to the ERS stopped Fernando Alonso in the stadium section during Q1, bringing out a red flag with 11 minutes left. The interruption lasted seven minutes. Alonso’s time was not enough to advance once the session resumed, and he will start 18th. He was also reprimanded after failing to refit his steering wheel when he stopped.
Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto start 11th and 12th, ahead of Piastri. Carlos Sainz, 16th, is under investigation over an alleged failure to follow race director instructions concerning the escape road.
Alonso’s team-mate Lance Stroll will start 20th, with Cadillac drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas on the back row. Bottas also faces a 50-place grid penalty after a complete power-unit change. For details on following the event, readers can check how to watch the Mexico City Grand Prix in the US.