Lewis Hamilton was "lost for words" after securing his first pole position for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix, but delaying Kimi Antonelli's world title win has not entered his thoughts.

Having not sat on pole for any race since July 2023, when he started the Hungarian Grand Prix from the front of the grid for Mercedes, Hamilton ended his long wait on Saturday.

He beat his former Silver Arrows team-mate George Russell by 0.009 seconds in qualifying, with fellow Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in third and Max Verstappen in fourth.

Antontelli, who appears almost certain to become the youngest drivers' champion in Formula One history on Sunday, at the age of 20 years, two months and seven days old (Sebastian Vettel is the record holder at 23 years, four months and 11 days), was fifth.

Forty-one-year-old Hamilton is the oldest driver to secure a pole position since Mario Andretti, also for Ferrari, at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix, and he was ecstatic after Saturday's final session.

"That felt great! That feels good! I'm so happy. I'm lost for words. It's been a really challenging weekend," he told Sky Sports.

"It feels special to be here in Mexico and [pole position] 105... I like that number."

Love the crowd energy here!  https://t.co/5NbUPBy7Kg

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) November 1, 2026

With Hamilton sitting third in the drivers' championship standings, one point behind Russell in second but 124 off Antonelli, his finish this weekend could affect the title picture.

Antonelli can only be prevented from winning the title if he finishes lower than ninth and Russell wins the race, or if the Italian is out of the points entirely and Hamilton triumphs.

But when that was put to Hamilton, he said: "That's not really something we're thinking of. We're thinking of just trying to score the best result for the team.

"Kimi, he's continued to drive really well and doing what he needs to do. All he has to do is just finish where he is, and he's on his own journey.

"Our journey is to focus on performing the best we can this weekend and holding on to second in the constructors' championship."

Though the weekend feels like a procession for Antonelli, who still has four more races to go in the unlikely event that he fails to clinch the crown on Sunday, the Italian admitted he felt the pressure during qualifying.

"I just feel like I didn't do a good enough job out there and didn't have the most confidence," he said.

"It hasn't been easy this weekend, to be fair, and especially to keep my emotions flat. I definitely have been a bit more tense than usual, also that played a big factor.

"But I will try to enjoy the evening with family and friends and focus on [the race]."