Lewis Hamilton has credited his maiden Formula 1 pole position for Ferrari to the changes he made in approaching the Mexico Grand Prix weekend. The seven-time world champion secured the top spot on Sunday’s starting grid by pipping former Mercedes team-mate George Russell by just 0.009 seconds at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Breaking the Drought with Ferrari
The achievement marks a record-extending 105th career pole for Hamilton, but his first since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix during his time with Mercedes before joining Ferrari last year. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton expressed his excitement about the milestone. “It’s an amazing feeling,” Hamilton told Sky Sports, while thanking his family and mentioning a personal text to his mother referencing her birthday. He explained that arriving at the track on Wednesday for the first time allowed him to analyze recent race struggles and adjust his weekend preparation.
Hamilton noted that the team carefully reviewed previous issues, analyzing wind direction, tyre behavior, and dropping track temperatures during sessions. The pole also brought back childhood memories of watching Michael Schumacher secure poles on television. The success follows several missed opportunities for Ferrari in recent races, where the team showed strong pace in practice but faltered in qualifying, such as the previous weekend in Austin where the Scuderia topped all practice sessions before qualifying fourth and fifth.
Mastering Tyre Windows and Driving Style
Charles Leclerc previously attributed those struggles to tyre difficulties amid temperature drops, a critical factor in Mexico due to low grip and track evolution. In the official press conference, Hamilton acknowledged that his pace was evident throughout the weekend despite fluctuating session results. He emphasized that mastering the narrow operating window of the tyres has been a challenge in recent years, especially since the introduction of 18-inch tyres.
Hamilton explained that he had to adapt his driving style, learn to approach corners differently, and utilize specific balance tools he had not relied on for over a decade. By executing a strong out-lap and getting the tyres into the ideal window, he maintained a clean run through the opening turns. Hamilton will lead the field on Sunday ahead of his rivals as the race approaches.
