Antonelli takes US Grand Prix pole with first title in reach
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
- A win on Sunday could make him the youngest world champion in F1 history.
- Max Verstappen starts second, just 0.179 seconds behind the Mercedes driver.
Kimi Antonelli starts the United States Grand Prix from pole position. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver set the fastest lap in qualifying on Saturday. He can win his first world title in the race on Sunday.
Fans search for the F1 race today because the title maths are simple. Antonelli must win, and his two rivals must finish low. This guide explains the pole lap, the grid, and what happens next.
What happened
Qualifying took place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Antonelli set a lap of 1 minute 34.035 seconds. That time put him first on the grid for Sunday's race.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished second. He was 0.179 seconds slower than Antonelli. Isack Hadjar took third for Red Bull, a career-best result.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc qualified fourth. Lewis Hamilton, his team-mate, took fifth. George Russell, Antonelli's Mercedes team-mate, starts sixth.
McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris start seventh and eighth. Norris is the reigning world champion, according to Sky Sports. Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly complete the top ten.
Antonelli's lap came late in the final qualifying session. Lando Norris was fastest in the first session. Leclerc led the second session, according to Formula 1.
Track limits were a big theme all weekend. Officials deleted 207 laps on Friday. They deleted 42 more in final practice, according to Malay Mail.
This is Antonelli's seventh pole of the season. His last pole came at the Belgian Grand Prix in July. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called the lap a miracle.
Wolff told F1 TV he did not fully understand where the lap came from. He said the team expected a result between third and fifth. He added that Russell's lap showed what the car could do.
Antonelli spoke after qualifying. He said, "We got pole so we'll try to win tomorrow."
He warned that Verstappen has been very quick. He said the race will be tight.
He also said he hopes to lead into the first corner. He wants to set the pace from the front. He called the qualifying session tough in gusty wind.
Verstappen was unhappy with his final session. He said, "Q3 was not good."
He said he had no grip with either set of tyres. He also said he made no mistakes.
Russell admitted he drove two bad laps in the final session. He said his second-session lap was two and a half tenths quicker. He still sees chances in a long race.
Why it matters
Antonelli leads the world championship by 102 points. Russell sits second in the standings. Hamilton is third, 111 points behind Antonelli.
Antonelli has won eight races this season. He won five in a row after Russell won the opener in Australia. That run is reported by the BBC.
Sunday is his first chance to seal the title. He must win the race.
Russell must finish ninth or lower. Hamilton must finish fifth or lower.
If all three results happen, Antonelli becomes world champion. He would be 20 years and 61 days old on Sunday. That beats Sebastian Vettel's record from 2010.
Vettel was 23 years and 133 days old when he won his first title. Antonelli would also be Italy's first champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. The BBC reported both records.
Five rounds remain after Austin. The title race would end early if he wins it here. That is why this race draws so much attention.
Wolff played down the title talk. He told Sky Sports it is not realistic on Sunday. He said Mercedes lacks race pace against Ferrari and Verstappen.
Verstappen won the last two races. He also won last year's race in Austin from pole. He now chases a fifth win at this track.
The uphill run to Turn 1 gives the second-place driver a chance. Verstappen starts on the front row next to Antonelli. A strong start could change the race at once.
What happens next
The race runs over 56 laps at Austin. The official name is the Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix. It is round 18 of 23 this season.
Lights go out at 8:00 PM UK time on Sunday. That is 1:00 AM in Pakistan on Monday. BBC Radio 5 Live carries live commentary from 7:30 PM UK time.
Verstappen plans to keep the fight clean. He told Sky Sports he will try to win the race.
He said, "We keep it respectful and try to win the race."
Russell starts sixth and faces a hard task. He must pass both Ferraris ahead of him. He said strategy can still create chances in Austin.
Hamilton starts fifth and stays in the title fight. He said overtaking is very hard at Austin. He pointed to race strategy as his best route forward.
Tyre wear was high in Friday practice. Teams changed car setups during the weekend. The race may still become a one-stop race, according to Sky Sports.
If Antonelli does not seal the title here, the fight moves on. Mexico City hosts the next round. Sao Paulo follows after that.
Verstappen said Antonelli will win the title soon in any case. He said it could come in Austin, Mexico City, or Sao Paulo. The BBC reported his words.
Sunday's race is the biggest day of Antonelli's young career so far. A win plus the right results elsewhere makes him world champion. If not, his lead still leaves him close to the crown.
Rive News also covers other big sports stories this weekend. Our Steelers vs Saints Paris game explains the first NFL game in France.
The Inter Fiorentina San Siro showdown covers the big Serie A match in Italy. Our Man Utd Bournemouth Old Trafford guide covers Sunday's Premier League game.
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