Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix from third on the grid and says he intends to be “quite aggressive” in his bid for Ferrari’s first podium finish in more than a year.
The seven-time world champion qualified third behind pole-sitter Lando Norris and teammate Charles Leclerc, giving Ferrari both cars in the top three for the first time since Singapore 2024.
“It’s been a mountain to climb, but it’s all starting to come together,” Hamilton said after qualifying. “I’m really happy to be back in the top three. It’s been a long time coming, but I feel like we’ve made real progress.”
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A return to form after a difficult season
Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari has been more challenging than expected. Despite flashes of pace, he has yet to finish higher than fourth, and reliability problems early in the year hindered his adaptation to Ferrari’s SF-25 chassis.
“Honestly, it’s been a tough season,” he admitted. “I didn’t think it would take this long to get here, but the important thing is the process. I’ve grown a lot through the experience. The team’s working hard, and the car feels better every weekend.”
His third-place result marks Hamilton’s best qualifying of the season, only 0.090 seconds slower than Leclerc and half a second behind Norris, whose McLaren dominated Saturday’s session.
For Hamilton, who has not stood on the podium since his Mercedes farewell season, Sunday offers a clear opportunity to end a 13-month wait for silverware.
The strategic advantage of third on the grid
While starting behind the front row might seem like a disadvantage, Hamilton believes grid position three is “the perfect place” for the start at Mexico’s high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
“The inside line is really dusty — it’s not great for traction,” he explained. “So being on the left, on the racing line, actually helps. Plus, there’s a long run to Turn 1, so we can use the slipstream.”
The 768-metre stretch from the grid to Turn 1 is the longest on the Formula 1 calendar, often producing dramatic starts. In the past two Mexican Grands Prix, the pole sitter lost the lead before the first corner, a statistic Hamilton is well aware of.
“For a moment I thought I’d be starting second,” he said with a grin. “But honestly, third is better. I’ll try to get a tow and go for it into Turn 1. I’ll be attacking hard.”
Ferrari’s tyre allocation gives both Hamilton and Leclerc one new set of softs each, offering tactical flexibility against McLaren and Red Bull, whose long-run pace appeared similar in practice.
“He’s got something to lose” — Hamilton eyes Norris
Hamilton didn’t shy away from turning up the psychological pressure on Norris, who leads the championship after a dominant run of form.
“I definitely want to race tomorrow,” Hamilton said with a smile during the post-qualifying press conference. “I’ve got nothing to lose — but he’s got something to lose. So I’ll be quite aggressive, for sure.”
It was a subtle but clear signal from the veteran, who has used mind games to his advantage throughout his career. Now in his 19th Formula 1 season, Hamilton knows how to apply pressure to rivals in high-stakes situations — especially when they’re leading a title battle.
“Hopefully, we can get close enough to have a good fight,” he added. “It’s been a while since I’ve been up here on the grid. I’m just going to enjoy it and see what happens.”
Ferrari closing the gap
Team insiders say Ferrari’s qualifying performance in Mexico reflects steady progress with the SF-25’s aerodynamic upgrades introduced in Austin. Improved rear stability and a better understanding of tyre temperature windows have helped both drivers close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull.
Leclerc, who starts on the front row for the second consecutive weekend, echoed Hamilton’s optimism: “We’ve been improving step by step. The front row is a good result for the team, and we’ll try to convert that into points.”
For Hamilton, however, the focus is clear — breaking his podium drought and proving Ferrari’s faith in him was justified.
“It feels like we’re finally in a position to fight again,” he said. “I just need to make it count.”
The Mexican Grand Prix will mark Hamilton’s 335th career start. Should he finish in the top three, it would be his 198th podium finish — and his first in Ferrari red.
With a long straight to Turn 1 and an unpredictable altitude effect on engines and tyres, Mexico often delivers drama early. Hamilton will be hoping that this time, the mountain he’s been climbing leads straight to the podium.
