Austin: Kimi Antonelli took a surprise pole position for the United States Grand Prix to move closer to becoming Formula 1’s youngest world champion. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds at the Circuit of the Americas. Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar qualified third, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes’ George Russell will start sixth.
Antonelli will clinch the title on Sunday if he wins the race, provided Hamilton finishes outside the top four and Russell outside the top eight. Hamilton qualified fifth and Russell sixth.
The Italian celebrated his first pole since the Belgian Grand Prix in July with an excited shout over the team radio. “It feels good to be back,” he said. Despite the chance to win his first title, Antonelli said he was enjoying the weekend rather than feeling the pressure.
“It does feel a little bit different,” he said. “But the goal stays the same. I just need to keep doing my job. And, actually, I feel like I can enjoy more driving, everything.”
Antonelli’s pole came as a surprise after Ferrari topped all three practice sessions and Verstappen looked strong in the earlier stages of qualifying.
Verstappen was fourth in Q2 despite using old tyres but struggled for grip in the final session. Antonelli, meanwhile, set a strong first lap in Q3 that proved good enough for pole. The Red Bull driver admitted his car lacked balance in the final session but was satisfied with second place. “Q3 was not good. Q1 and Q2 were nice, but for whatever reason in run one and two I just didn’t have a nice balance. No mistakes, just not enough grip. But if it’s still a P2, I take it,” he said.
Antonelli knows he will still have to deliver a strong performance in the race to turn pole position into victory. “We got pole so we will try to win tomorrow, but Max has been very quick and Isack did an incredible job, so it is not going to be easy,” he said. “We try to get a good start and hopefully lead into Turn One and try to set the pace, even though it’s going to be very tight," the Italian added.
Antonelli is aiming to become the first Italian F1 world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.