Mexico City, Mexico, November 1, 2026: Lewis Hamilton delivered a landmark performance to secure his first pole position with Ferrari at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, edging Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.009 seconds in a thrilling qualifying session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday.

The seven-time World Champion clocked a fastest lap of 1:16.514 to claim his first pole position since 2023 and his maiden pole for Ferrari since joining the Scuderia. Russell came agonisingly close with a 1:16.523, while Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc completed the top three with a 1:16.633.

Max Verstappen qualified fourth for Red Bull, but will drop behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli on the starting grid after receiving a one-place grid penalty. Antonelli qualified fifth for Mercedes, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth.

Hamilton’s pole-winning lap came at the end of a closely contested Q3 shootout. Russell had briefly moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1:16.523, but Hamilton responded with a superb final effort to snatch pole by the narrowest of margins. Leclerc also improved on his final attempt to secure third, 0.119 seconds behind his Ferrari team-mate.

Alonso stoppage interrupts Q1

Qualifying began with several teams eager to make up for lost track time following a disrupted final practice session. Fernando Alonso initially set the pace with a 1:18.908 before Carlos Sainz moved into second.

However, the opening phase was interrupted when Alonso was instructed to stop his Aston Martin on track. The team suspected a water-pressure issue linked to the Energy Recovery System, prompting Race Control to deploy the red flags.

Hamilton had already completed an opening lap of 1:18.249, moving ahead of Oscar Piastri, before the interruption. With 11 minutes remaining when the session resumed, the drivers had limited time to complete their remaining runs.

Pierre Gasly briefly moved to the top with a 1:18.194, but Hamilton subsequently raised the benchmark to 1:17.341. Isack Hadjar also showed impressive pace to move into second, while Russell finished the session fourth. Championship leader Antonelli struggled to find a clean lap and was ninth.

There was disappointment for Williams, with both Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz failing to progress. Alonso was classified 18th following his stoppage, ahead of Haas driver Ryō Hirakawa, while Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas also exited in Q1.

Norris leads Q2 as Piastri exits

The second qualifying segment produced another closely fought battle, with Ferrari and Red Bull setting the early pace.

Leclerc posted a 1:16.944 to take provisional first place before Verstappen responded with a 1:16.876, edging the Ferrari driver by 0.068 seconds.

Norris subsequently moved into contention, while Hamilton improved to take third, just 0.077 seconds behind Verstappen. Hadjar also continued his strong performance, while Antonelli remained seventh after completing his run on used soft tyres.

Norris eventually finished Q2 at the top of the timesheets, while team-mate Piastri suffered a disappointing exit in 13th after struggling with rear grip.

Liam Lawson produced a late improvement to secure ninth and progress to Q3, while Nico Hülkenberg, Franco Colapinto, Piastri, Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman and Sainz were eliminated.

All four Red Bull Ford Powertrains-powered cars made it into the final qualifying segment, with Verstappen, Hadjar, Lawson and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad progressing.

Hamilton beats Russell in dramatic Q3 shootout

The final qualifying segment saw Leclerc initially set the pace with a 1:16.647. Hamilton was 0.422 seconds slower on his opening attempt after losing time in the middle sector.

Verstappen appeared capable of challenging for pole after posting purple sectors in the first and third sectors, but lost valuable time in the middle section to finish 0.045 seconds behind Leclerc’s initial benchmark.

The final runs, however, produced a dramatic conclusion. Russell raised the bar with a 1:16.523 to move provisionally into pole position, only for Hamilton to deliver an outstanding final lap of 1:16.514 and take the top spot by 0.009 seconds.

Leclerc improved to secure third, while Antonelli finished fifth behind Verstappen. Norris was sixth, followed by Hadjar, Lawson and Lindblad. Gasly completed the top 10 for Alpine.

Verstappen abandoned his final flying lap after locking up at Turn 13 and encountering Norris’ McLaren, leaving him fourth in the qualifying classification.

Hamilton’s achievement gives Ferrari a major boost heading into Sunday’s race, with the British driver looking to convert his maiden pole for the team into a memorable victory in Mexico City.

2026 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Qualifying Results

Note: Verstappen is subject to a one-place grid penalty, which will promote Antonelli ahead of him on the starting grid.