Lewis Hamilton will start the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix from pole position, with the final starting grid confirmed following Liam Lawson’s disqualification from qualifying. The Racing Bulls driver has been relegated to the back of the field after an FIA technical ruling, while Max Verstappen also drops one position following his earlier penalty.
Hamilton heads the field after securing his first pole position for Ferrari, beating Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.009 seconds. Charles Leclerc completes the top three, giving Ferrari a strong opportunity to control the opening stages of Sunday’s race.
Hamilton takes control as Ferrari lock out the front row
Russell starts alongside Hamilton in second place after missing pole by just nine thousandths of a second. Leclerc completes Ferrari’s strong qualifying result in third, finishing 0.119 seconds behind his team-mate.
Mercedes also has reason to be encouraged, with Kimi Antonelli promoted to fourth following Verstappen’s penalty. The Italian will therefore start ahead of the Red Bull driver, who moves down to fifth despite qualifying fourth.
Verstappen’s position is particularly important given his championship battle with Antonelli. Starting directly behind the Mercedes youngster leaves the Red Bull driver with an immediate challenge if he hopes to make progress during the opening lap.
Lando Norris starts sixth for McLaren, followed by Isack Hadjar in seventh.
Why Lawson has been sent to the back
Lawson’s demotion follows a technical infringement involving the MGU-K system on his Racing Bulls car.
The FIA investigated the New Zealander after his fastest lap in Q2. The issue concerned the required reduction in electrical power deployment after he crossed the timing line. His car did not achieve the prescribed rate of reduction, known as the ‘step down’.
Although Racing Bulls argued that Lawson had gained no performance advantage, the technical regulations still required compliance regardless of whether the infringement produced a sporting benefit.
The stewards therefore disqualified Lawson from the qualifying classification. He had initially qualified eighth, but was already facing a one-place penalty following his Friday practice collision with Verstappen.
The disqualification means Lawson will now start 22nd, provided he is granted permission to race. The stewards subsequently approved his participation, allowing him to take his place at the rear of the field.
The decision represents a significant setback for Racing Bulls, which had managed to put both cars into Q3.
Full starting grid for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix
The revised starting order sees Arvid Lindblad promoted to eighth, with Pierre Gasly moving into ninth and Nico Hülkenberg completing the top ten.
Further down the field, Oscar Piastri starts 12th after failing to reach Q3, while his McLaren team-mate Norris occupies sixth. Fernando Alonso starts 17th for Aston Martin.
Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas face a difficult afternoon for Cadillac, with both drivers towards the rear of the field. Pérez is listed 20th, although he is required to start from the pit lane, while Bottas is 21st. Lawson completes the provisional order in 22nd.
2026 Mexico City Grand Prix – Starting Grid
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 10 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi |
| 11 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 12 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 17 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 18 | Ryō Hirakawa | Haas |
| 19 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 20 | Sergio Pérez* | Cadillac |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac |
| 22 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
*Pérez is required to start from the pit lane. Lawson has been granted permission to start following his qualifying disqualification.
Hamilton therefore has a major opportunity to convert his first Ferrari pole into a victory, but the Mercedes drivers and Verstappen will be looking to challenge him from the opening corners.
With Antonelli starting ahead of his championship rival, Sunday’s race could also have important consequences for the 2026 Drivers’ Championship.
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