Lewis Hamilton brought out his best performance of the season in Mexico. The British driver qualified third, securing his best result since joining Ferrari for his debut year in red.
Ferrari emerged as the biggest surprise of Mexican qualifying. The Italian team unexpectedly joined the fight for the World Championship front positions, putting themselves between Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, who only managed fifth and eighth. More importantly, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton will be the first to chase Lando Norris down one of the longest and most advantageous straights on the Formula 1 calendar. But what exactly has changed for the Maranello-based team? Hamilton’s words may hold the answer.
As many pointed out after Austin, the title battle was not only about the three main contenders but also about potential “wild cards” capable of shaking up the fight. In Mexico, that disruptive force was Ferrari. The team looked competitive already in free practice, and they managed to confirm that form with a strong qualifying performance that caught several rivals off guard.
Charles Leclerc briefly held provisional pole position before being overtaken by Lando Norris, while Lewis Hamilton impressed by taking third place — his best starting position of the year. The seven-time World Champion immediately found rhythm and ended Q3 just three and a half tenths off pole.
So, what exactly did Ferrari find this weekend? Both drivers confirmed that the changes were small but very significant. For the first time, Charles Leclerc’s feedback aligned perfectly with Hamilton’s assessment that the team had been missing proper coordination to make everything work together.
“We are working really well as a team. Together with the engineers, we are making key decisions on how to set up the car and where we want to go in terms of development,” said Lewis Hamilton during the post-qualifying press conference.
“We are continuing to optimize several areas, testing new solutions and improving the way we analyze data to maximize our potential. It’s a long process, but the results are positive and show that we’re moving in the right direction.” With those words, the British driver made it clear that tomorrow he will aim to attack both his teammate and Lando Norris right from the start.
Lewis Hamilton’s comments, echoed by Charles Leclerc, confirm that while Ferrari’s changes may appear minimal, they have had a major impact on performance. This progress offers a strong signal of hope for the team and its fans as the 2025 season heads into its decisive final stretch.
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