F1: Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest-ever pole sitter at 18
Antonelli, preparing for only his sixth grand prix weekend, laps with a best time to pip McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri
Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest pole sitter in any format after lapping fastest in Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying on Friday.
The 18-year-old, preparing for only his sixth grand prix weekend, lapped with a best time of one minute 26.482 seconds to pip McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri by 0.045 seconds.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was third fastest with Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen completing the second row on the day he announced he had become a father for the first time.
“The last lap was mighty. I put everything together. I’m really happy to get the first pole,” said a surprised Antonelli, who replaced seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in January.
Hamilton, winner of the first sprint race of the season in China from pole position for Ferrari, qualified seventh with teammate Charles Leclerc sixth. Mercedes’ George Russell will line-up ahead of them in fifth.
Only the top eight places in Saturday’s 100km race score points.