Portugal Colonial - Hamilton says love of racing keeps him young

The seven-time champion claimed his maiden pole with Ferrari and his first since 2023 on Saturday, topping the qualifying times ahead of Mercedes' George Russell at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

It made him the oldest pole sitter since Mario Andretti's final pole with Ferrari at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix -- when the Italian-American was 42 years old.

Hamilton increased his record total of poles to 105 ahead of a race that can see 20-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli, who succeeded him at Mercedes, become the sport’s youngest champion and Italy’s first since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Hamilton, who had been striving for his first Ferrari pole for two years, said: "Where there’s a will there’s a way! It’s all in the mind for all of us.

"You might feel aches and pains, but luckily, I don't. I love what I do and that love is not gone.

"I wake up every day thinking about it and I dream about it. I have this amazing support around the world. And I really hope I can deliver for them tomorrow."

Hamilton's success was greeted by a wave of emotion at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where he will on Sunday seek to extend his record of 106 victories with a second of the season that could postpone Antonelli’s title party.

If Hamilton wins, Antonelli must finish in the top 10 to take the drivers’ crown.

"That's been such a long time coming," Hamilton said of his first pole with Ferrari. "I am lost for words.

"It has been a really tough, challenging weekend. We did a good job with the set-up over the weekend, but it is so close between us all."

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur welcomed Hamilton's first pole for the team, but was already looking ahead to the race.

"We have to find the best strategy and first do a good run into turn one. With Charles (Leclerc), they have to race together -- it is part of the performance of the team and we will keep it like this," he said. "They are professional."

Hamilton will be seeking a third win in Mexico, where he triumphed in 2016 and 2019.

R.Veloso--PC