Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari and his first since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Mexico City Grand Prix, edging out George Russell by 0.009 seconds for the 105th pole of his career.
The result puts Hamilton and Russell on the front row, the only two drivers who can mathematically prevent Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli from clinching the championship on Sunday. Antonelli qualified fifth but moves to fourth after a penalty for Max Verstappen, needing only a ninth-place finish if Russell wins or tenth if Hamilton wins to secure the title.
Hamilton said he was not thinking about denying Antonelli the championship, focusing instead on scoring the best result for Ferrari and holding second in the constructors' championship. Russell acknowledged Antonelli's likely title win, while Antonelli admitted feeling tense and lacking confidence during qualifying.
Hamilton described the pole as "one of the greatest feelings," his first with Ferrari in a full race weekend after a difficult debut season in 2025. He leads teammate Charles Leclerc by eight points in the championship, with qualifying head-to-head at 12-10 in Hamilton's favor.
Antonelli, 20, stands on the brink of becoming the youngest champion in history by more than three years. The long run to the first corner in Mexico presents both opportunity and risk, but Hamilton praised Antonelli's "phenomenal" achievement and expressed hope for future battles.
