MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Lewis Hamilton became the oldest man to claim a pole position since 1982 when he secured his first pole for Ferrari ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in Saturday’s qualifying for the Mexico City Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Hamilton and Russell needed to be fastest. They are the only drivers who have a chance of preventing Kimi Antonelli clinching the title on Sunday. Each of the front-row pair needs to win and hope the Italian finishes worse than ninth.

For seven-time champion Hamilton it was a first-pole success since the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023 and enlarged his record total to 105 poles. It was his second pole in Mexico after taking the prime grid position in 2016.

At 41, he became the oldest pole sitter since Mario Andrette claimed the final pole of his career aged 42 at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix, also for Ferrari.

In a thrilling finale, Hamilton clocked a best lap of one minute and 16.514 seconds to outpace his former teammate Russell by 0.009 seconds with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc taking third place ahead of Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, who has a one-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.

Antonelli was fifth for Mercedes ahead of McLaren’s outgoing world champion Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull, Racing Bulls’ duo Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, and Pierre Gasly of Alpine.

The 20-year-old Italian, who will start fourth, can become the sport’s youngest champion on Sunday, and Italy’s first since Alberto Ascari in 1953, if he finishes in the top nine or Russell and Hamilton both fail to triumph.

“Thank you so much, that’s been such a long time coming,” said Hamilton on team radio before adding, “That feels good!”

“It’s been such a really tough and challenging weekend,” Hamilton said.”I think it’s my first pole for Ferrari and now 105 poles! I like that number.”

Russell, who is 123 points behind Antonelli in the title race while Hamilton is adrift by 124, said: “It’s been a tricky few races for me and I’m still struggling until I get one lap in Q3! I always knew it was there.”

Leclerc said: “I just didn’t do a good job when I needed to, but to start third here is not too bad.” The session began when local hero Sergio Perez, set to start his 300th Grand Prix, led the queue out of the pits before Aston Martin told Fernando Alonso to “stop the car on track”, which he did, prompting a red flag stoppage.

Hamilton had gone top before the two-time champion, clearly dismayed at his fate, came to a halt and climbed out close to the packed stadium section of the circuit.