Red Bull's Max Verstappen took pole for the Mexico City Grand Prix, fending off a challenge from Mercedes drivers.
Verstappen took pole after Mercedes had one of their best performances of the year.
Russell made a mistake on his last lap, but he was still second.
Countryman Hamilton took third, 0.05 seconds slower than Russell.
The pole position kings of the year so far were nowhere - Carlos Sainz was in fifth place, behind the second Red Bull ofSergio Perez, and 0.576 seconds from pole.
Charles Leclerc, who has more poles than anyone else so far this year, was beaten out by the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas, who finished seventh.
The Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon were in eighth place.
It was no surprise to see Verstappen on pole as he and Red Bull have taken off in the second half of the season.
Mercedes had a chance to take their second pole of the year, and the first in the dry, if they had won the race.
He made a mistake on his final lap, even though he felt he had a chance at beating the Red Bull.
Russell stated that the team deserved more. The car they produced this weekend is really good. It was a terrible lap from my side, and I felt like it was our pole to have. Excited to return to the front row.
It didn't give us a chance to show its value after we brought an update to Austin. The drag is not as important in the high altitude as it is in the low altitude.
This is the best we have had all year. Perseverance and never giving up is the way forward.
The seven-time champion now has his sights set on a first win of the year, and he wants to take advantage of the slipstream on the long run to the first corner.
Hamilton said he was happy with the position to begin. It is a long run to turn one.
For the first time this season, neither of their cars made the top three.
The car has been out of place. Sainz had a number of moments there through the weekend, after Leclerc crashed.
The red cars were never in the race for pole, raising more questions about where their speed has gone.
The fight was a fight. There was a fight. I don't know if we haven't nailed the set-up or we just got it wrong with tyres, but the car is not as competitive over one lap as in other grands prix.
"Now we have to focus on putting a good face together knowing we might not be fastest, but when car is tricky putting a good lap together in qualification is always difficult."
If the sectors of the two Q3 laps had been put together, I would be in the front row. It was a big fight and it was difficult to drive it.
Leclerc said he had an engine problem that was causing drivability issues. He said he was sure they could have a good result.
It was within 0.05 seconds of being the fastest car on the grid in the Alfa Romeo, which has a new floor this weekend to add to a new front wing introduced in Japan two races ago.
The Finn produced his best grid position since the opening race of the year when he was sixth at the opening race of the season.
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