Lewis Hamilton wins pole for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Upon his arrival at the Mexico City Grand Prix, British driver Lewis Hamilton claimed there has never been a driver like him in the history of motorsport.

Perhaps his assertion is not entirely off the mark.

The seven-time world champion Hamilton rebounded from a wretched Friday practice to capture pole position on Saturday. Hamilton edged out Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

“I feel great, that feels good, I am at a loss of words,” Hamilton said. “We did a pretty good job with the setup in the weekend. It feels special for me in Mexico, my first pole for Ferrari here.”

He has extended his own record for Formula 1 pole positions to 105.

Furthermore, at 41 years and some months Hamilton was the fifth oldest driver to secure an F1 pole position and the oldest since Mario Andretti did it in 1982 at age 42. Nino Farina holds the record at 47 years, two months.

This marks the Italian team’s first pole position since Hungary last year, 30 races ago.

Hamilton, who has crowned himself world champion twice in Mexico, will aim to become the first Ferrari driver to win a race from pole position since Carlos Sainz in Mexico in 2024.

On Friday during the second practice, he suffered a loss of power that forced him to retire.

Kimi Antonelli could become the youngest world champion in F1 history. He qualified fifth, demonstrating his car’s setup was optimal for the 20-year-old Italian.

Antonelli, who won the United States Grand Prix last week from pole, can finish as low as ninth on Sunday at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to surpass the record set by Sebastian Vettel, who became world champion the first time at 23.

Russell began the season as Mercedes’ No. 1 driver and won the first race of the year in Australia, but Antonelli has since won nine grands prix.

Antonelli can also become the first Italian driver to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953. while Mercedes can clinch the constructors’ title on Sunday for the first time since 2021.

Alonso’s Mexico curse

Fernando Alonso, who arrived in Mexico amid controversy after claiming that the bottom third of F1 drivers lack quality, was eliminated after completing just four laps in the first qualifying session.

The Spanish Aston Martin driver was instructed to stop shortly before reaching the pit lane, and he made no secret of his annoyance.

“I’m only a hundred meters from the pit lane entrance,” the two-time world champion said over the radio, while striking the steering wheel with his hands in frustration.

The Mexico City GP does not hold fond memories for Alonso, as he has failed to finish the last four races.

___

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here