Mexico GP grid: Hamilton on pole, Verstappen and Lawson penalised

Lewis Hamilton will start the Mexico City Grand Prix from pole position for the first time as a Ferrari driver, while penalties and a disqualification have reshuffled the order behind him.

Hamilton's best lap of 1:16.514 edged out former team-mate George Russell by just 0.009 seconds, with Charles Leclerc just over a tenth behind in third.

Verstappen and Lawson Penalties

Max Verstappen qualified fourth quickest on the road but drops to fifth after a one-place grid penalty for his part in an unnecessary collision with Liam Lawson during Friday practice.

As a result, Kimi Antonelli will line up on the second row alongside Leclerc. Antonelli needs to finish ninth or higher on Sunday to seal the world championship.

Lawson also received a one-place grid penalty for his role in the practice incident, but that has been rendered moot after he was disqualified overnight for a technical breach.

Disqualification Reshuffles Grid

Lawson has been given permission to take part in the race but will start 22nd and last. Everyone who qualified behind him has been bumped up one grid slot.

Valtteri Bottas is serving 50 places' worth of grid penalties because of new engine parts fitted to his Cadillac. Anything over 15 places is converted into an automatic back-of-grid start, though he was slower than everyone else in qualifying anyway.

Ryo Hirakawa, making his competitive F1 debut for Haas, qualified 19th on the road and will start 18th because of Lawson's disqualification. Hirakawa is standing in for Esteban Ocon, who was suddenly dropped by Haas on Saturday with no public explanation, though Ocon insists rumours of a physical altercation with team principal Ayao Komatsu are untrue.