Lewis Hamilton starts from pole at the high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with Ferrari showing strong pace after recent upgrades focused on cooling and rear bodywork, positioning both he and teammate Charles Leclerc as leading podium contenders. Kimi Antonelli, 123 points clear in the drivers’ championship and needing only a top-nine finish to clinch the title, qualified fourth and may adopt a measured approach to secure points rather than risk aggressive moves. Max Verstappen, starting behind due to a grid penalty, brings proven Mexico success and recent podium form, while George Russell’s second-place grid spot keeps Mercedes competitive. Circuit-specific cooling demands and potential first-lap chaos from the long run to Turn 1 add variables that could shuffle the top three.