Lewis Hamilton has promised to be “quite aggressive” from third on the grid at the start of the Mexico City Grand Prix as he bids to capitalise on his best qualifying result at Ferrari to achieve an “amazing” first podium for the team.
The seven-time world champion starts from the head of the second row, one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with Ferrari proving the closest challengers to impressive polesitter Lando Norris, who topped qualifying by two tenths of a second on a day his two title rivals floundered.
Hamilton has experienced a challenging first season at Ferrari and heads into Sunday’s race, the campaign’s 20th round, yet to finish a Grand Prix higher than fourth for them.
But having now returned to the top three of qualifying for the first time in 13 months, Hamilton believes there are finally signs of genuine progress.
“I’m so happy to be up there in the top three,” said Hamilton after achieving his best start for a Grand Prix since Singapore 2024.
“All year it has taken me to get here so it’s been a serious mountain to climb. But finally gelling with everything around me and I think myself and my engineers we are really starting to extract the performance from the car, so I’m really, really happy.
“Honestly, it’s been a tough year, and I cant believe it’s taken me this long to get here, but it’s ok. What matters is the journey and I’ve grown a lot through it.”
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Highlights from qualifying at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Does Hamilton actually hold best grid spot for start?
While the impressive Norris ultimately proved too strong for Ferrari, Leclerc pipped Hamilton by 0.090s to qualify as the Scuderia’s lead car in second place.
However, Hamilton feels he may be the Ferrari driver holding the more preferable grid slot on row two.
That is because third is located on the grid’s left-hand side, the cleaner racing line, and the fact that, at 830m, the run to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez’s first turn is one of the longest of the season and therefore allows slipstreaming opportunities for following cars.
The polesitter has not led the first lap in Mexico in each of the last two years, while Max Verstappen famously sling-shotted from third on the grid to first ahead of Hamilton and then Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the start in 2021.
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The first lap from an eventful 2024 Mexico City GP as Max Verstappen takes the lead and Yuki Tsunoda crashes out.
Hamilton said: “For a moment I was P2 [on the grid] but the inside is actually not that nice, it’s quite dirty on the inside, so I’m quite grateful to be third and I hope that I can capitalise on that.
“Obviously, Charles has a new [soft] tyre, the same with Lando, but nevertheless P3 I think is not a bad position to start here because you can tow. So I’ll be quite aggressive, I want to move forwards somehow tomorrow.”
Speaking in the press conference, Hamilton added: “I definitely want to be racy.
“I don’t have anything to lose, but he [Norris] does. So I will be quite aggressive, I’m pretty sure.
“And hopefully we’ll be close enough to put up a good fight.”
And while aware of the potential pitfalls of starting on the grid’s dirty side, Leclerc is also targeting an aggressive start given he expects Norris to also have strong race pace.
“I think [Norris] will be very strong, for sure,” said Leclerc.
“But the start is definitely an opportunity for us to try and make something special.
“Even though starting second here on the dirty side of the track, I’m not sure it’s great, but it’s okay.
“I’ll just focus on what I can control and hopefully it will be enough to be alongside him into Turn One.”
Sky Sports F1’s Mexico City GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Mexico City Grand Prix
Sunday October 26
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Mexico City GP build-up*
8pm: THE MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP reaction
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1’s thrilling title race heads continues at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday with lights out at 8pm, live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime