Lewis Hamilton took Ferrari’s first pole position at the Mexican GP and extended the F1 record

Lewis Hamilton rolled back the years with a stunning qualifying performance in Mexico City to take his first pole position for Ferrari and extend his Formula 1 record to 105. The seven-time world champion recovered from a troubled start to the weekend to edge out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.009 seconds, with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc completing the top three.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Hamilton, who endured a frustrating Friday after an engine problem forced him to stop during the second practice session. The problem also cost him valuable long runs, so he had a lot of work to do before qualifying.

But Hamilton saved the best for last. After finishing fourth in the opening heats of Q3, he drove a superb final lap to snatch pole from Russell. It was his first pole position since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, ending a wait of more than three years, and his first since joining Ferrari.

“I feel great, it feels good, I’m at a loss for words,” Hamilton said. “We did a pretty good job with the set-up at the weekend. It’s special for me in Mexico, my first pole position for Ferrari here.”

The Briton also reflected on what the success means after a difficult start to life with the Italian outfit, taking inspiration from watching Michael Schumacher dominate during his years at Ferrari.

“If you want to have your first pole for a Ferrari, I go back to watching Michael (Schumacher) get all those poles when he was at Ferrari and all those wins,” he said.

HAMILTON ADDS TO HIS F1 RECORD

Hamilton’s latest success took his career finishes to 105, extending his lead at the top of the all-time list. He also became the oldest driver to take pole position in F1 since Mario Andretti did it for Ferrari in 1982 at the age of 42.

At 41, Hamilton is the fifth-oldest driver to secure pole position in Formula 1 history. Nino Farina remains the oldest, having achieved the feat at the age of 47 years and two months.

The result was also a significant breakthrough for Ferrari, who went 30 races without pole position. Hamilton, a two-time Mexican Grand Prix winner, will now look to turn his qualifying success into a race win. The last Ferrari driver to win from the pole in Mexico was Carlos Sainz in 2024.

ANTONELLI TITLE THE DREAM STILL ALIVE

While Hamilton celebrated a breakthrough afternoon, Kimi Antonelli remained firmly in contention for an historic championship. The 20-year-old qualified fifth but will start fourth after Max Verstappen was penalized one place on the grid.

Antonelli can become the youngest world champion in F1 history, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record of 23 years. He can afford to finish as low as ninth on Sunday and still secure the title if the other championship permutations fall in his favor.

Russell and Hamilton remain among those who may delay his coronation. Antonelli is also chasing another piece of history as he looks set to become the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Sunday’s race could thus provide an unforgettable milestone for Hamilton and potentially a defining moment in the championship battle.

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