Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has praised Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time Formula 1 world champion secured his first pole position for Ferrari at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The British driver claimed the 105th pole of his Formula 1 career, ending a drought dating back to the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix and giving the Maranello team a significant qualifying breakthrough.
The achievement marks an important milestone for Lewis Hamilton, who had not started a conventional Grand Prix from pole position in more than three years. His performance at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez also represents his first pole since joining Ferrari, bringing the Scuderia back to the front of the starting grid.
Toto Wolff praises Lewis Hamilton after first Ferrari pole position
Reacting to Lewis Hamilton’s Mexico GP qualifying performance, Toto Wolff emphasised that the seven-time world champion’s speed had never been in doubt, even during the more difficult periods of his career.
The Mercedes team principal recalled several occasions during recent Grands Prix when his former driver had already demonstrated front-running pace without managing to convert that potential into the desired result, including at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
“He’s still incredibly quick, and today was his day. He was also the fastest on some occasions during the last few Grands Prix, but in Austin he wasn’t able to make it count. This pole is thoroughly deserved.”
The comments represent a significant acknowledgement from Toto Wolff, who worked with Lewis Hamilton throughout his successful years at Mercedes before the British driver moved to Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton ends three-year F1 pole drought at Mexico GP
Lewis Hamilton’s achievement in Mexico brings an end to a lengthy wait that began after his pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023. With 105 career pole positions, the seven-time world champion has added another milestone to his Formula 1 record.
The result also represents an encouraging turnaround following the difficulties experienced during the previous race weekend in Austin, where Lewis Hamilton struggled with recurring Ferrari balance problems and was unable to extract the full potential of the SF-26.
His performance in Mexico demonstrates that he remains capable of delivering at the highest level over a single qualifying lap, a point that Toto Wolff was particularly keen to underline.
For Ferrari, the achievement provides another positive development after a challenging period, while Lewis Hamilton can now turn his attention to converting his first pole position for the Scuderia into a strong Grand Prix result.
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