The seven-time world 🎉champion was fastest in the first two parts of qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez but his hopes of taking a🌼 first pole position of 2022 were ultimately dashed in Q3. 

Hamilton recovered from having his first lap deleted for track limits to take third, 0.05s slower than Mercedes teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell and 0.304s adrift of Red Bull’s168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Max Verstappen. 

• Verstappen beats Mercedes duo to pole position
• F1 2022 Mexico City Grand Prix - Full Qualifying results

The Briton was heard reporting a problem 𝓰with his engine during the final ♕part of qualifying and reckons it cost him critical time in the hunt for pole. 

“It was gener𒁃ally a really good qualifying sessio♛n,” said Hamilton. 

“We had some problems towards the end with the engine in Q3, so I think there was definitely a bit of performance left on the 🌳table with that, unfortunately, but I did the best I could. 

“Losing that first lap definitely made that last one very, very d🧸ifficult. I had to be very reserved on that last lap just to make sure that it was clean, because I w😼as a tenth up into that point. 

“Unfortunately not able to push as hard as I would have liked but nevertheless I think th🐽is is a great result, second and third. 

“It’s not a bad position to start and I hope we can fix♒ the engine issue for tomorrow.”

Asked to explain the engine problem in more detail, Hamilton said: “It started to appear in Q2 and🌺 then it was every run in Q3. 

“I was basically dro🎃pping out of power on exits of corners, so I definitely think we were losing quite a bit of time out of the last corner and most of the corners. 

“♓Not really sure what was happening but it𝓰 felt like an ignition issue. But I’ll find out from the team.” 

Hamilton will line up from third on the grid, a position the last two races in Mexico City have been wo🌞n from. 

Unusually, pole in Mexico is conside♕red something of a disadvantage due to the long run down to Turn 1, which Hamilton will be looking to take advantage of on Sunday. 

“Natura♕lly it’s always a tough race around here, with the track te✨mperatures and tyres, but these guys [Red Bull] have been rapid all year long,” Hamilton said when asked if he could fight for the win from third. 

“Even when we are at our best this weekend, we are still losing out൩ to them in straightline speed, so it will definitely be difficult to get by tomorrow. But we’ll give it our best shot. Turn 1 is an opportunity, so we’ll go for it.”