Hamilton's 105th pole for Ferrari ends three-year drought at Mexican GP

Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for Ferrari at the Mexican Grand Prix on Saturday, beating George Russell by a razor-thin 0.009 seconds to end a three-year wait for a front-row start. It is the 105th pole of Hamilton’s career — extending his own all-time F1 record — and his first since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.

“That felt great! I’m so happy. I’m lost for words. It’s been a really challenging weekend,” Hamilton told 2009 world champion Jenson Button after qualifying. The 41-year-old described a difficult build-up, with an aerodynamic rake test and an engine issue on Friday leaving the team scrambling on set-up. “We learned a lot from the last race,” he added. “It’s so close between us all. To have pole here — it feels special to be here in Mexico and 105, I like that number.”

Hamilton’s age makes the achievement all the more notable. At 41, he became the oldest driver to claim an F1 pole since Mario Andretti in 1982. When asked how he continues to compete at the front, Hamilton was characteristically direct. “When there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s all in the mind for all of us. You might feel aches and pains — luckily I don’t.”

The seven-time world champion, who joined Ferrari from Mercedes ahead of the 2025 season, credited both his physical regime and his passion for the sport. “I spar a lot and do all those different things you do to try to keep yourself young and fit, but I love what I do. That love is not gone. I wake up every day thinking about it, I dream about it.”

Hamilton also acknowledged the role of his global fanbase in sustaining his motivation. “These guys keep me going, so I hope they’re happy with that today and I hope I can deliver for them tomorrow.”

The result marks a significant milestone in Hamilton’s debut season with Ferrari, demonstrating that the partnership is beginning to find its rhythm after a challenging start to the year.