Mercedes’ teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli claimed a shock but stunning maiden pole position in Formula 1 for the Miami GP Sprint.
The 18-year-old has replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year following the seven-time champion’s move to Ferrari and is competing in just his sixth grand prix weekend.
Debuting on a Miami street track he had never driven before Friday, Antonelli uncorked a brilliant single lap in the decisive SQ3 phase of Sprint Qualifying to beat world championship leader Oscar Piastri to the head of Saturday’s 5pm Sprint grid by 0.045s.
The Italian is the youngest-ever driver to claim a pole position for either of F1’s qualifying formats, beating the record held by Sebastian Vettel since 2008 by more than two years.
“Tremendous. What an effort from such a young driver,” said Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle.
“He has no experience of Miami other than on the simulator and has gone out and smashed a lap in. That’s an outstanding effort.”
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Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history by taking Sprint pole at the Miami GP.
Antonelli, who has been on Mercedes’ books since 2019, was personally congratulated by a number of drivers in parc ferme after qualifying and admitted: “I did not see that coming. I felt the lap was good and I was happy with it.
“There were still a few bits I could have done better but I was super happy with how I put all the sectors together.”
Although beaten to pole for Saturday’s 19-lap race, Piastri was still ahead of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, with Max Verstappen fourth for Red Bull on his return to the track after the birth of his first child, daughter Lily.
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Kim Antonelli joins the Sky F1 team after becoming the youngest pole sitter in F1 history with a Sprint pole in Miami.
But there was disappointment for George Russell in the second Mercedes, who could only manage fifth.
Russell had qualified and finished ahead of his new young team-mate in every competitive session so far this season up to Friday but ended up 0.309s adrift of Antonelli this time after his strategy of going out early onto the track in SQ3 did not pay dividends.
Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were not in the pole mix and finished sixth and seventh respectively, the latter at least slightly closer to his team-mate than he has been at recent events at just 0.2s back.
Hamilton took the year’s first Sprint pole in China six weeks ago but had struggled in the SF-25 since going on to win that short-form race.
Alex Albon capped a competitive day for Williams in eighth, although Carlos Sainz dropped out in SQ2 in the second car after running wide at Turn 11. Isack Hadjar was ninth for Racing Bulls with Fernando Alonso returning to the top 10 for Aston Martin in 10th.
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Jack Doohan rants at his Alpine team after being released at the same time as Pierre Gasly, costing him his final run in Sprint Q1 at the Miami GP.
Antonelli makes his first big statement in F1
Although it had been the more-experienced Russell who had delivered all of Mercedes’ headline-grabbing results so far this season, Antonelli had made a quietly assured start to his F1 career with top-six finishes in four of his first five grands prix and no major errors.
But his season – and nascent career at the top level – truly took off around the Miami International Autodrome on Friday.
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Anthony Davidson takes a closer look at Kimi Antonelli’s maiden pole in the Miami GP Sprint qualifying.
Showing early promise in the weekend’s only practice session earlier on Friday, Antonelli was at the sharp end of the timesheet from the start of Sprint Qualifying, finishing second-fastest to Russell in SQ1 and then fourth ahead of his team-mate in SQ2.
He then brilliantly upstaged the three pole favourites – Piastri, Norris and Verstappen – with a single flying lap of 1:26.482 in the crucial final stage.
“Every weekend I learn massively,” he said. “Last week, having a break really helped me to gather information and process it all and recharging the batteries, it was really good.
“The whole qualifying I felt I was able to make a step lap by lap. I’m much more aware of how to do a consistent warm-up and extract more out of the tyres but there’s a lot to improve.
“Every weekend I get more confident with the car, can play with it more and explore the limits. At the same time, I can understand more from the set-up and give much better feedback which allows the team to improve the car.”
Congratulated by a number of the sport’s leading drivers in parc ferme, Antonelli also celebrated with his delighted father, Marco.
Sky Sports F1’s Miami GP schedule
Saturday May 3
- 3.20pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
- 4pm: MIAMI GP SPRINT (race starts at 5pm)
- 6.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
- 7.50pm: F1 Academy Race 1
- 8.35pm: Miami GP Qualifying build-up*
- 9pm: MIAMI GP QUALIFYING*
- 11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place around the Miami International Autodrome.
Sunday May 4
- 6pm: F1 Academy Race 2
- 7.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP build-up*
- 9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX*
- 11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP reaction*
- Midnight: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Miami for a Sprint weekend, watch it all live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
