Lewis Hamilton hugged his Ferrari team-mates in Mexico after securing a maiden pole in red and his first since 2023, a yawning 1,197 days before.

That had come at the tail end of his Mercedes pomp, since when he has struggled to recreate the magic he once so routinely produced.

The seven-time world champion was choked afterwards, saying: '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; luckily I don't.

'I prepare a lot and do all those different things you do to keep yourself young and fit. But I love what I do. That love is not gone. I wake up every day thinking about it. I dream about it.

'I've got this amazing support around the world.

'These guys keep me going, so I hope they're happy with today and I hope I can deliver for them tomorrow.'

Despite Hamilton's fine display, Kimi Antonelli remains favourite to claim the title aged 20. The Mercedes man will start fourth, behind Hamilton, George Russell and Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli needs to finish ninth to be assured of the crown with four races to spare.

Hamilton's 105th pole, meanwhile, made him the oldest driver to achieve the feat since Mario Andretti, aged 42, in 1982.

Strange happenings at Haas before a wheel was turned in qualifying. Esteban Ocon was dropped for the weekend at least – or perhaps for ever, having not had his contract extended into next season with the American team.

Nobody at Haas would elaborate as to why the Frenchman had been axed, though he had a tense radio exchange with his race engineer Laura Mueller in second practice on Friday.

There is clearly some friction at play. Esteban's place was taken by Ryo Hirokawa, a 32-year-old Japanese driver, who qualified 19th.

'I can't tell you much but I can tell you he's not ill,' said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu of Ocon's exclusion. 'The only thing I can say is we are focused on what's in front of us.'

Fernando Alonso broke down in the auditorium section of the circuit in Q1, bringing about a red flag. The Spaniard waved his hands in frustration because, for once, he had looked to have a chance of a decent result for Aston Martin. A water pressure problem was blamed.

A bad afternoon for McLaren's Oscar Piastri, falling out in Q2 and qualifying a lowly 13th, nearly a second behind world champion Lando Norris at that stage. Norris ended up sixth best.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton remains wedded to the only life he has really felt at ease in - but Ferrari should not keep him on as a favour to extend his career