Twelve months in the past, when Carlos Sainz was profitable in Mexico Metropolis and Charles Leclerc led house a one-two only a week earlier in Austin, you wouldn’t have been silly for pondering Ferrari may play a major function within the title combat this season.
What you most likely didn’t see coming was that function first rising on the twentieth spherical of the season, and being as an influencer in another person’s battle, however that’s precisely the place Ferrari finds itself this weekend on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, after getting each automobiles within the high three in qualifying, behind one title contender and forward of two others.
It was a efficiency that many predicted previous to arriving in Mexico Metropolis, however the lack of total race tempo from Ferrari up to now this season – and fluctuating kind among the many different groups – made it powerful to really imagine. But as observe developed into qualifying, the Ferrari drivers remained close to the highest of the instances, proper as much as the beginning of Q3.
Charles Leclerc’s first lap was an attention-grabbing effort and left him on provisional pole, with Lewis Hamilton additionally within the high three. For Lando Norris to go and beat the pair took one thing fairly particular and left Leclerc dissatisfied to solely be second on the grid.
“A bit bit [disappointed] – after the primary lap in Q3, I believed this was a very good lap,” Leclerc admitted. “I knew there was a little bit bit extra to come back, however not a lot. Contemplating the gaps that have been behind, I used to be like, ‘OK, let’s see the way it goes. I’ll nonetheless go flat out on the second lap and see the place we find yourself.’
“I used to be very stunned, clearly, by the leap Lando did from the primary to the second run in Q3. I simply don’t assume we had the tempo at this time to match that. There was a little bit bit right here and there, however I don’t assume it might have been sufficient for pole place anyway.”
Regardless of missing the ultimate little bit of tempo for pole, it was Ferrari’s finest mixed qualifying efficiency of the yr and continued some regular progress that has seen the staff exploit extra of its potential – no matter that is perhaps – in current races.
“I don’t assume there’s a silver bullet or one thing that we’ve modified considerably that makes us quite a bit higher now than three, 4, 5 races in the past,” Leclerc mentioned. “I feel it’s a little bit bit in every single place. I feel the processes and all of the small variations make a giant distinction on the finish, and we improved all that in the previous few weekends.
“We needed to handle another issues at one level of the season, which now we’re in a bit extra of a snug place, however the tempo in itself is extra right down to small particulars in every single place reasonably than one thing standing out.”
Positive, Mexico Metropolis’s altitude could lend sure challenges that shrink gaps within the subject, however Hamilton says Ferrari’s intra-team work might be the largest issue of their finest qualifying efficiency this yr. Hector Vivas/Getty Photos
Maybe essentially the most notable distinction has been a extra constant qualifying run for Hamilton, who secured his finest grand prix beginning place of the yr up to now. Build up all through the weekend, Hamilton was capable of get inside 0.09s of his teammate and was most inspired by the steps within the ultimate a part of qualifying which were missing for a lot of 2025.
“I feel it is a peculiar circuit, clearly, with the altitude, so we maybe are nearer than we might usually be,” Hamilton mentioned. “It’s tough to say the place we’ll be within the subsequent races. I’m undecided we’ll be as shut as we’re, however I do assume by means of these small enhancements that we’ve made – they make huge variations. It feels nice to lastly get into Q3 and be capable of ship good laps and be aggressive. That’s been an issue all yr, significantly on my facet.”
This yr has been a steep studying curve for Hamilton in his new surroundings, however the seven-time world champion attributes a few of Ferrari’s current positive aspects to each the work the staff has completed to make enhancements to the best way it operates, but additionally his personal adaptability to the automotive.
“We proceed to enhance on our course of – from the second we arrive, to our debriefs, to the choices we make as a staff inside engineering, inside after we exit – all these various things, so I feel we’re simply repeatedly tightening up on a few of these areas.
“I feel simply how Charles and I’ve labored collectively to maneuver the automotive and develop it ahead has been actually constructive over the race weekends. Our automobiles are just about similar now, and I’m lastly determining the way to drive this automotive that Charles has been lucky to drive for the previous seven years, when it comes to the traits. I’m lastly feeling like I’m getting there, so it is good.”
Whereas Norris says his feeling “clicked” within the McLaren in Q3, it’s honest to say one thing additionally clicked for Ferrari this weekend to go away it as the primary challenger heading into Sunday’s race. Hamilton is aware of the stakes are larger for the driving force on pole place than the 2 purple automobiles behind him.
“Positively wish to be racy tomorrow,” Hamilton mentioned of the beginning. “I don’t have something to lose, however he [Norris] does, so I’ll be…yeah, we’ll be fairly aggressive, I’m fairly positive. Hopefully we’ll be shut sufficient to place up a great combat.”
Beat Norris and Ferrari may actually assist restrict the injury for each Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Present sturdy tempo however end behind the polesitter, and each Leclerc and Hamilton out of the blue develop into Norris’ allies in making a buffer to his title rivals. Both means, they might be set to have a giant affect.
