MEXICO CITY – Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is optimistic about ending his 19-race podium drought with Ferrari after qualifying third for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday.
The British driver, who joined Ferrari this season after a long stint with Mercedes, will start behind McLaren’s Lando Norris—the pole-sitter—and his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
“P3 is kind of the perfect spot actually at this track, so I’m hoping I can make the most of that at the start,” Hamilton said. “Our race pace is not too bad, and it’s going to be an amazing crowd tomorrow, so I’ll try to give it a good race.”
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Hamilton expressed satisfaction with his progress at Ferrari, highlighting improvements in teamwork and race strategy. “We’ve not really moved the car forward necessarily in development, but we’ve extracted more, and our processes are better this weekend,” he explained.
The 40-year-old Briton, who last won in Mexico in 2019 with Mercedes, said he feels more connected with his new team. “The team truly deserve it. We are just working as hard as we can and I’m super grateful to everyone in this team for continuing to push and not give up.”
Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who will start second, praised the car’s performance despite the tricky track conditions. “It’s very difficult because there is very little grip, but I’m pretty happy with the job we’ve done,” Leclerc said. “We’ll do everything to get the first place into the first corner and then see what is possible.”
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The Mexico City Grand Prix could mark a major milestone for Hamilton, who is still chasing his first podium finish since joining Ferrari and his first since the 2023 season.