Lewis Hamilton takes first Ferrari pole at Mexico City, Antonelli positioned to clinch title
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on 31 October 2026, delivering his first pole for Ferrari with Mercedes’ George Russell lining up second on the grid.
Hamilton produced a standout lap to claim what the report describes as his first Ferrari pole and the 41-year-old’s 105th career pole, ending a run without pole since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix; the session also left young Kimi Antonelli in fourth and well placed to decide the championship on Sunday. Hamilton’s pole was described as Ferrari’s first since Budapest last year and only his second pole in Mexico, having previously taken top spot there in 2016.
Qualifying was tight at the top, with the two Mercedes and Ferraris trading fastest times in Q3. Charles Leclerc set an early benchmark with a lap of 1min 16.647sec, while Russell briefly held the lead before Hamilton edged him by nine-thousandths of a second on the final runs. The report says Verstappen suffered a minor lockup in the final sector that cost him a chance at the front-row times.
The championship picture was laid out clearly: Antonelli held a commanding points lead, 123 points ahead of Russell and 124 in front of Hamilton, and would secure the title if he left Mexico 100 points clear. The report states Russell or Hamilton must win the race to keep any mathematical hope alive; even if one of them does win, Antonelli would take the championship if he finishes ninth or higher, and he would be champion even if he failed to finish should neither Russell nor Hamilton win. If he seals the crown on Sunday he would be 20 years old and, the report adds, the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The session produced several other grid notes: Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari and Max Verstappen crossed the line fourth on track but carries a one-place grid penalty for a clash with Liam Lawson in practice on Friday, while Lawson, the New Zealander who finished eighth in qualifying, also has a one-place penalty. Lando Norris qualified sixth for McLaren and Oscar Piastri was eliminated in Q2 in an uncharacteristically early exit for McLaren, finishing 13th while complaining of a lack of rear grip.
Off-track, Haas announced on Saturday morning that Esteban Ocon had been replaced for the rest of the weekend by Ryo Hirakawa, with no explanation offered by the team. The 32-year-old Japanese driver, described in the report as a two-time World Endurance champion and a Le Mans 24 Hours winner, will make his Formula 1 race debut on Sunday. The article says Ocon is set to be replaced next season by the Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara and that his sudden removal from competition in Mexico suggests relations between him and Haas have broken down.
Ocon issued a statement addressing media reports about the situation: “Following the recent decision from Haas F1 Team confirming that I will not be participating in this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, I wish to formally address some media reports and speculation surrounding the situation,” the statement read. “Last night, a difference in viewpoints led to a discussion with the parties involved. 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. I strongly condemn violence in all its forms and firmly believe that disagreements should always be handled with professionalism, respect, and mutual understanding. I kindly ask that speculation be avoided while the matter is being addressed. Further updates will be communicated in due course.” The report adds that Ocon had an angry exchange with his race engineer Laura Müller during FP2 and returned to the Haas garage without removing his helmet.
Sunday’s race will determine whether Antonelli can clinch the championship in Mexico or whether Hamilton or Russell can delay the confirmation; the report reiterates that Russell or Hamilton must win to keep their title hopes alive and that Antonelli need only reach the specific points thresholds outlined to secure the crown.