Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, will start Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix from pole position, the best place on the starting grid. A 20-year-old rival could be crowned champion by the evening, and our F1 Mexico City Grand Prix hub tracks the weekend.
Hamilton lapped the high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 1 minute 16.514 seconds on Saturday, 31 October. It was his first pole for Ferrari, the 105th of his career and his first since 2023.
Key Facts
- %s %s
- %s %s
- %s %s
- %s %s
Hamilton Edges Russell by Nine Thousandths
Russell, Hamilton’s former Mercedes team-mate, had taken provisional pole on his final run. Hamilton answered at once with the lap that took pole by 0.009 seconds.
Hamilton said: “That felt great! That feels good! I’m so happy. I’m lost for words.” Leclerc completed an all-Ferrari front row behind Russell at 0.119 seconds.
The circuit sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level, where thin air robs engines of power and strains cooling. That makes Mexico City one of the calendar’s most unusual tests for car and driver alike.
Why Antonelli Can Win the Title Today
Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver who leads the championship, qualified fifth but starts fourth. Max Verstappen of Red Bull qualified fourth and takes a one-place grid penalty for a collision with Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s sister team, in Friday practice.
Antonelli has 365 points to 242 for Russell and 241 for Hamilton, and 125 points remain in the season. If neither Russell nor Hamilton wins, Antonelli is champion.
If Russell wins, Antonelli needs ninth place or better, and if Hamilton wins, tenth is enough. A champion at 20 would be the youngest in Formula 1 history.
Changes Further Down the Grid
Lando Norris of McLaren starts sixth and Isack Hadjar of Red Bull seventh. Norris’s team-mate Oscar Piastri was knocked out in the second qualifying session and starts 13th.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin stopped on track in the first session, which brought out a red flag, and starts 18th. Ryo Hirakawa was 19th on his F1 qualifying debut, in the Haas car usually driven by Esteban Ocon.
What It Means for US Readers
The race starts at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, 1 November, a few hours after US clocks went back. Antonelli could clinch the title that afternoon.
The title fight matters beyond the sport because Mercedes lead Ferrari by 133 points in the team standings. Sunday’s race therefore shapes both the drivers’ and the teams’ championships.
For readers new to the sport, a win is worth 25 points and the driver with the most points at the end of the season is champion. Antonelli’s lead is now big enough that the arithmetic alone could end the fight on Sunday.
What Is Not Known
Lawson was reported disqualified from qualifying for an engine-power breach, and we could not confirm his exact grid slot. The cause of Alonso’s stoppage is unclear, with a water-pressure fault and a power-unit problem both reported.
We found no active prediction market on the race or the title today, so we show no odds. The Formula 1 results page was not available to us, so the grid rests on the reports above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is on pole for the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, after a lap of 1:16.514 on Saturday, 31 October. He was 0.009 seconds ahead of Russell.
What does Kimi Antonelli need to win the title?
A top-nine finish secures the title whoever wins. If neither Russell nor Hamilton wins, he is champion wherever he finishes.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief