Lewis Hamilton wins pole for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Upon his arrival at the Mexico City Grand Prix, British driver Lewis Hamilton claimed there has never been a driver like him in the history of motorsport.

Perhaps his assertion is not entirely off the mark.

The seven-time world champion Hamilton rebounded from a wretched Friday practice to capture pole position on Saturday. Hamilton edged out Mercedes' George Russell and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

“I feel great, that feels good, I am at a loss of words,” Hamilton said. “We did a pretty good job with the setup in the weekend. It feels special for me in Mexico, my first pole for Ferrari here.”

He has extended his own record for Formula 1 pole positions to 105.

“Wow, to have pole here, I mean, I don’t even know if I’ve had a pole here before,”said Hamilton, who had pole position in Mexico in 2016. "It feels special to be in Mexico and get that. My first, I think this is my first pole with Ferrari. And 105... I like that number.”

Furthermore, at 41 years and some months Hamilton was the fifth oldest driver to secure an F1 pole position and the oldest since Mario Andretti did it in 1982 at age 42. Nino Farina holds the record at 47 years, two months.

“When there’s a will, there’s a way, I think it’s all in the mind. For sure, you might feel aches and pains but I do all those different things that you can do to try and keep yourself young and fit," Hamilton said. “But I love what I do. And that love is not gone. I wake up every day thinking about it. I dream about it.”

This marks the Italian team’s first pole position since Hungary last year, 30 races ago.

Hamilton, who has crowned himself world champion twice in Mexico, will aim to become the first Ferrari driver to win a race from pole position since Carlos Sainz in Mexico in 2024.

On Friday during the second practice, he suffered a loss of power that forced him to retire.

“Embarking on this journey with Ferrari, and all the challenges and ups and downs we’ve had. Even yesterday was challenging, when the car stopped on track and we lost the long runs that everyone got to do.” Hamilton said. “I didn’t get to do a long run. But we’ve really done a good job with the set-up over the weekend.”

Kimi Antonelli could become the youngest world champion in F1 history. He qualified fifth, demonstrating his car’s setup was optimal.

The 20-year-old Italian, who missed Thursday’s media session because of a viral infection, said he was still recovering but hoped to be at his best for what could be a special Sunday.

“I’m going to bombard myself with melatonin, so I hope I can sleep about 10 hours, with any luck,” said Antonelli, who will start fourth after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty Saturday for an incident involving Liam Lawson.

“It’s a new one, that penalty, but yeah, we’ll keep inventing new ones, I guess,” Verstappen said.

Antonelli, who won the United States Grand Prix last week from pole, can finish as low as ninth on Sunday at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to surpass the record set by Sebastian Vettel, who became world champion the first time at 23.

Russell began the season as Mercedes’ No. 1 driver and won the first race of the year in Australia, but Antonelli has since won nine grands prix.

Antonelli can also become the first Italian driver to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953. while Mercedes can clinch the constructors’ title on Sunday for the first time since 2021.

Fernando Alonso, who arrived in Mexico amid controversy after claiming that the bottom third of F1 drivers lack quality, was eliminated after completing just four laps in the first qualifying session.

The Spanish Aston Martin driver was instructed to stop shortly before reaching the pit lane, and he made no secret of his annoyance.

“I’m only a hundred meters from the pit lane entrance,” the two-time world champion said over the radio, while striking the steering wheel with his hands in frustration.

The Mexico City GP does not hold fond memories for Alonso, as he has failed to finish the last four races.

Cadillac driver Sergio Pérez will mark his 300th Formula 1 Grand Prix on home soil, but if he wants to give his millions of fans something to cheer about, he will have an uphill battle ahead of him.

Pérez was eliminated in the first qualifying session (Q1) and will start from the second-to-last position on the grid, ahead only of his teammate, Valtteri Bottas.

Earlier this week, the 36-year-old driver signed a contract extension that will keep him with Cadillac through 2029.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session for the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race in Mexico City, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Pole position winner Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, center, second fastest Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain, left, and third placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco pose for photos at the end of the qualifying session for the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race in Mexico City, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy steers his car during the qualifying session for the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race in Mexico City, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session for the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race in Mexico City, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after he clocked the fastest time during the qualifying session for the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race in Mexico City, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Sovereignty surged past Knightsbridge in the stretch and held off The Puma to win the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic by 1 3/4 lengths on Saturday, one year after missing the marquee race because of a fever.

Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty was in the hunt at the final turn and overtook his stablemate on the outside of four horses. He then withstood charges from defending Classic winner Forever Young and The Puma before going on to his second consecutive victory.

“I could feel how fast he was getting to the horses and the lead,” Alvarado said after his first Classic victory. “It was right before we turned for home and switched (the) lead. No other horse could have come in faster than the way he was going at the end.”

Last year's Kentucky Derby, Belmont and Travers Stakes winner covered 1 1/4 mile in 2 minutes, 0.36 seconds at Keeneland, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his third Classic victory and first since 2011. Last year's top overall horse and 3-year-old paid $5.94, $4.16 and $2.94 at the season-ending World Championships.

Sovereignty's return to the Classic and how he'd fare in a loaded seven-horse field including Older Dirt Horse champion Forever Young and Derby winner Golden Tempo was one of the race’s biggest storylines.

Knightsbridge almost stole the spotlight by setting the pace with Forever Young close behind. The son of Into Mischief and Crowned soon took over under a cool, overcast sky, adding to his stellar resume and giving breeder Godolphin its first Classic victory.

“He’s a magnificent horse," Mott said of Sovereignty. "I’ve had a couple good ones, but you could almost say he’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse.

“I’m not so sure he couldn’t have done it last year, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Thank goodness we had the opportunity to try again, and the Godolphin team made the decision to keep him in training this year, and that’s a huge risk.”

The Puma returned $11.22 and $6.10 while Knightsbridge paid $3.76.

Next were Japan-bred T O Password and Forever Young, the 8-5 favorite who sought a second consecutive Classic victory. He faded after running among the leaders. Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo was never a factor, running last for much of the race and finishing sixth.

In Saturday's other races at Keeneland:

— Aiden O’Brien broke a tie with Hall of Famer Bob Baffert with his record 23rd Breeders’ Cup trainer’s win as Irish colt Benvenuto Cellini surged from 12th over the final quarter-mile to win the $5 million Turf. They entered the weekend with 21 apiece and each won Juvenile races on Friday.

— Nitrogen won the $2 million Distaff by two lengths with Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, a year after a runner-up finish at Del Mar.

— Jockey Kendrick Carmouche and trainer Miguel Clement got their first Breeders’ Cup victories as Deterministic held off favorite Notable Speech by 3/4 of a length in the $2 million Mile.

— Japan-based favorite T O Elvis rallied to chase down Englishman in the final 1/16 to win the $2 million Sprint and give jockey Ryusei Sakai his second Breeders' Cup victory.

— Further Ado came on down the stretch and dueled Owen Almighty side by side before winning the $1 million Dirt Mile at the wire in a photo finish. The favorite started on the rail and was fifth on the backstretch before finding room outside to draw even with Owen Almighty.

— Kathynmarissa overtook Gimme a Nother in the stretch to win the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, paying $13.24 at 5-1 odds for her third consecutive victory.

— Favorite Ways and Means surged from fourth on the backstretch to the lead by the final turn and pulled away to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint opener by 6 1/4 lengths over Foie Gras. Chad Brown's 5-year-old mare earned her third consecutive victory and eighth in 14 career starts.

See AP’s full horse racing coverage here

Favien Prat, left, rides Further Ado to victory past Luis Saez, right, atop Owen Almighty in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile horse race Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty (2) in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty (2) in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)