Hamilton starts from pole at the Mexican Grand Prix

Andrea Kimi Antonelli aimed for the championship at the Mexican Grand Prix, but the spotlight shifted to Haas' driver change. Esteban Ocon was replaced by reserve driver Hirakawa Ryo after a dispute during practice. The Haas team did not clarify Ocon's future, though he was set to be replaced at season's end. Several cars faced issues due to the high altitude, with Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin suffering a Honda engine failure during qualifying, causing a red flag. In Q1, Alonso, Lance Stroll, and two Cadillac drivers were eliminated. Oscar Piastri surprisingly exited Q2, while Lando Norris topped the session. In Q3, Lewis Hamilton secured pole position, narrowly beating George Russell, marking Ferrari's first pole of the season. Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc qualified third, while Max Verstappen faced setbacks, starting from a lower position. Hamilton only needs to finish ninth in the race to clinch the championship if his teammate wins.