Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari and his first since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Mexico City Grand Prix, edging out former Mercedes teammate George Russell by just 0.009 seconds. The 105th pole of Hamilton's career puts him on the front row alongside Russell, the only two drivers who can mathematically prevent Kimi Antonelli from clinching the championship on Sunday.
Antonelli, 20, qualified fifth but moves up to fourth after a grid penalty for Max Verstappen. The Mercedes driver needs only to finish ninth if Russell wins or tenth if Hamilton wins to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. Antonelli admitted feeling tense throughout the weekend, saying the high stakes affected his confidence.
Hamilton downplayed the championship implications, stating his focus is on scoring the best result for Ferrari and holding second in the constructors' championship. Russell acknowledged Antonelli's title is "inevitable" and likely this weekend. Hamilton described the pole as "one of the greatest feelings" and a response to questions about his form at age 40, noting he has now taken pole with three different teams.
The Ferrari driver leads teammate Charles Leclerc by eight points in the standings, with their qualifying head-to-head at 12-10 in Hamilton's favor this season. Hamilton missed a race-simulation run in practice due to a breakdown, making Sunday's race a "massive challenge" for tire management.
Antonelli starts on the second row alongside Leclerc, with a long run to the first corner offering slipstream opportunities. Hamilton praised Antonelli's "phenomenal" season and expressed hope for closer battles next year.
