Lewis Hamilton has secured his first Formula 1 pole position for Ferrari at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, ending a remarkable 1,196-day wait without a pole. The seven-time world champion delivered an outstanding qualifying performance at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, claiming his 105th career pole position and giving the Scuderia its first pole of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The achievement represents a particularly emotional moment for Lewis Hamilton, who returned to the top of the qualifying timesheets after more than three years. Despite a challenging weekend that included an engine problem during practice and difficulties preparing for the race, the British driver managed to overcome his rivals and put Ferrari at the front of the grid for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton emotional after first Ferrari pole in Mexico
After returning to the pit lane following qualifying, Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media and struggled to contain his emotions. Visibly delighted by the result, the seven-time world champion admitted that he could barely find the words to describe what he was feeling.
“Wow, I feel great. It’s really beautiful. I’m so happy. I’m lost for words.”
For Lewis Hamilton, the result carries special significance beyond simply securing the best starting position for the Grand Prix. It marks his first pole since joining Ferrari and brings his extraordinary Formula 1 career tally to 105.
The milestone also adds a new chapter to his achievements with the Italian team. His previous successes and the progression of his Ferrari career can be explored through the Lewis Hamilton F1 records and career statistics, which distinguish his results with the Scuderia from those achieved earlier with McLaren and Mercedes.
Engine problems and difficult practice sessions made Ferrari’s pole even sweeter
Despite the celebrations, Lewis Hamilton explained that the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend had been far from straightforward. Ferrari encountered an engine-related problem during the opening practice session, and the issue subsequently affected his preparations for the race.
Nevertheless, the team made important progress with the car’s set-up, allowing the British driver to find the performance needed to fight for pole position in an extremely competitive qualifying session.
“It’s been a really tough, difficult and challenging weekend. In FP1 we had an engine problem, which we then saw yesterday, and that compromised my race simulation, but we’ve done a really great job with the set-up, even though we’re all really close.”
The result comes after Ferrari faced questions about how its SF-26 would perform under the unusual conditions in Mexico City. The circuit’s demands had already made Ferrari’s performance in Mexico following its Austin upgrades an important subject heading into the weekend.
However, Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying performance demonstrated that the Scuderia had found a competitive set-up over a single lap, even after the difficulties experienced earlier in the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates 105th career pole but identifies a race tyre disadvantage
While celebrating his achievement, Lewis Hamilton also acknowledged that the qualifying session had not been perfect. His progress through Q2 was complicated by an initial unsuccessful attempt, which meant he had to use an additional set of tyres compared with some of his rivals.
That difference could become relevant for Sunday’s Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver explaining that other competitors would have a fresh set of tyres available for the start of the race.
“In Q2, for example, I couldn’t immediately put the lap together, while the others could, so tomorrow they’ll have a new tyre at the start. We got pole, and I don’t think I’ve ever managed to do that here before, so it’s really special for me to come here to Mexico and take what I believe is my first pole with Ferrari, as well as my 105th. I love that number.”
The achievement was particularly meaningful because of the location. Lewis Hamilton expressed his delight at securing the result in Mexico, where he believes he had never previously started from pole position.
Although Ferrari has achieved the ideal qualifying result, the tyre situation remains one of the factors that could influence the race. The team’s focus now turns towards converting its front-row advantage into a strong Grand Prix performance.
Lewis Hamilton explains the mentality behind his continued Formula 1 success
At the end of the interview, Lewis Hamilton was asked how he continues to perform at such a competitive level at this stage of his career. The seven-time world champion responded by emphasising the importance of determination, physical preparation and his enduring passion for Formula 1.
He explained that maintaining his fitness requires considerable effort, but his motivation comes from genuinely loving what he does. For the British driver, the desire to compete and achieve new milestones remains just as important as the physical work required to stay at the highest level.
“When you want something, there’s always a way to achieve it. It’s just a question of mentality. I do lots of things to keep myself fit, a lot of sport, and I love what I do. I wake up every morning thinking about this and dreaming about this. All the incredible fans we have around the world also help me to keep pushing, and I hope I’ve made them happy today and that I can do the same tomorrow.”
The words captured the emotion surrounding a result that Lewis Hamilton had waited more than three years to achieve. After a challenging start to the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, the Ferrari driver has delivered a major personal milestone while securing the team’s first pole position of the 2026 season.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s race, with the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix schedule and race start time providing the details of the next session. Lewis Hamilton will approach the Grand Prix from the best possible grid position, hoping to give Ferrari supporters another reason to celebrate after an emotional qualifying breakthrough.
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