All within seven tenths on Softs, Hamilton makes the difference

Lewis Hamilton will start the Mexico City Grand Prix from pole position. The Ferrari driver set the fastest time in today’s qualifying session with a lap of 1:16.514. That was enough to beat George Russell, second in 1:16.523, and team-mate Charles Leclerc, third in 1:16.633. For Hamilton, it is his first Grand Prix pole position since joining Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli, who is fighting for the World Championship, secured the fifth-fastest time.

The top ten drivers were covered by just seven tenths of a second, underlining how closely fought and competitive the session was. Hamilton and Russell used five new sets of Soft tyres across the three qualifying segments, while Leclerc used four.

Reigning World Champion Lando Norris was the fastest driver in the third free practice session. The McLaren driver posted a 1:17.600, just one thousandth of a second quicker than Kimi Antonelli (1:17.601). Charles Leclerc was third on 1:17.717.

In FP3, drivers used only the Medium and Soft compounds, focusing primarily on qualifying simulations. The top three all set their fastest times on the C5, which they fitted for their final runs after starting the session on the C4. The highest track temperature was recorded during the closing stages of the session, reaching 48 °C.

The Pirelli Pole Position Award was presented by Rafa Márquez. Since this year, the former footballer has been head coach of the Mexico national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Mexican footballers of all time. During his playing career, he spent seven seasons as a defender with FC Barcelona, winning two UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga championships. He also represented Mexico in five FIFA World Cups before moving into coaching.

DARIO MARRAFUSCHI – PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR

“We approach the Mexico City Grand Prix with a very open strategic picture. On paper, both a one-stop and a two-stop race are competitive options, with several Medium and Soft tyre combinations capable of delivering a very similar overall race time. The final choice will depend on a range of factors, including each car's characteristics, aerodynamic set-up levels and, above all, the traffic drivers may encounter after a pit stop.

Many teams may choose to start on the Medium and switch to the Soft between laps 35 and 41, taking it through to the chequered flag. In this scenario, tyre management will remain an important factor despite the relatively low degradation levels. The alternative two-stop strategy would involve starting on the Soft, followed by a stint on the Medium and a final stint once again on the Soft. According to our simulations, there is no significant difference in total race time between these two options. However, teams opting for the two-stop strategy will need to carefully assess the impact of traffic, as the number of cars they may need to overtake after each stop could prove decisive.

The Hard does not appear to be a particularly competitive choice compared with the main alternatives. An early race neutralisation could alter some strategic scenarios, giving teams the option of completing the race on the C3 or moving towards a two-stop strategy. From a tyre behaviour perspective, compared with yesterday we have not observed any significant abrasion or graining, and several long runs showed tyres remaining in very good condition.

Further evidence of the circuit’s continuous evolution came during qualifying, the first session in which drivers completed an additional preparation lap before their flying lap, and the final one in which they headed straight into the decisive lap.”