MEXICO CITY — Lewis Hamilton captured pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday, securing his first pole as a Ferrari driver and extending his all-time Formula 1 record to 105.
Hamilton logged a benchmark lap time of 1:16.647 during the final round of qualifying at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, earning his first top starting spot since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, Sports Illustrated reported. George Russell of Mercedes qualified second, with Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finishing third, according to Roundtable Sports.
The qualifying outcome sets up a high-stakes Sunday contest where rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli could secure his maiden Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship. Antonelli can wrap up the world title with a ninth-place result on Sunday even if Russell wins the race, according to SB Nation.
Late Errors and Surprise Exits
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen appeared positioned to challenge Hamilton’s leading time late in the session after setting fast times through the first two sectors of the circuit. However, Verstappen locked up his brakes in the stadium section, aborting his lap and settling for fourth, Sports Illustrated reported. Verstappen will drop to fifth on the starting grid due to a one-place penalty issued after a near-collision during Friday practice.
The session also produced unexpected setbacks across the paddock. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri was knocked out in the second qualifying phase, placing 13th. The elimination marked Piastri’s first failure to advance to the final qualifying round since the 2024 race in Mexico City, according to Sports Illustrated.
During the opening phase, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso stopped on the circuit with a mechanical failure, triggering a red flag, Sports Illustrated reported. Alonso, Lance Stroll, and Sergio Pérez were among the drivers eliminated in the first round.
Paddock Upheaval at Haas
Saturday’s track action followed dramatic off-track developments at Haas F1 Team, which announced ahead of the third practice session that reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa would replace Esteban Ocon for the rest of the weekend. Hirakawa finished 19th in qualifying ahead of his official Formula 1 race debut, Sports Illustrated reported.
Haas confirmed the driver change in a social media statement, stating no further comments would be provided. Reports subsequently surfaced alleging that a team discussion involving team principal Ayao Komatsu turned confrontational, Just Jared reported. Ocon issued a public statement on Instagram rejecting claims that any physical altercation took place.
“Last night, a difference in viewpoints led to a discussion with the parties involved,” Ocon wrote. “Whilst I acknowledge that this took place, I categorically reject any reports or allegations suggesting that any form of physical violence was used to resolve any differences of any nature.”
Sports Illustrated reported that Ocon will not return to Haas for the remainder of the 2026 season, though news reports noted uncertainty regarding the final four scheduled events in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
The 71-lap Mexico City Grand Prix is scheduled to begin Sunday afternoon, with Antonelli aiming to close out the championship while Ferrari seeks its third victory of the season.
