Lewis Hamilton takes pole at Mexico City Grand Prix
sportsOct 31, 202657582
Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix with a 1:16.514, beating Mercedes' George Russell by 0.009 seconds while Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified third. Hamilton's pole is his first for Ferrari and his first since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, the 105th pole of his career and the earliest by an older driver since Mario Andretti in 1982. Kimi Antonelli qualified fifth behind Max Verstappen but will start fourth because Verstappen carries a one-place penalty. The only ways Antonelli can be denied the title on Sunday are if Russell wins and Antonelli finishes lower than ninth, or if Hamilton wins and Antonelli scores no points. Hamilton said he was "lost for words" after overcoming an engine issue on Saturday that left Ferrari on the back foot, while Russell blamed an extra preparation lap and added fuel for the 0.009 gap. Verstappen said traffic and a lock-up into the stadium hairpin ruined his lap; Lando Norris, who had looked competitive earlier, finished sixth after failing to improve on his final run.
