Antonelli takes pole at 2026 United States GP, Verstappen P2
Synopsis
Kimi Antonelli put his car on pole at the 2026 United States GP in Austin with a lap of 1m 34.035s — his seventh of the season — on a weekend he could clinch the Formula 1 world title. Verstappen starts P2, Hadjar P3, and everything points to a defining run to Turn 1 at COTA on Monday morning.
Key Takeaways
Kimi Antonelli took pole at the 2026 United States Grand Prix with a lap of 1m 34.035s — his seventh pole of the season .
Max Verstappen (P2) was nearly two-tenths off the pace; Isack Hadjar qualified P3 and Charles Leclerc P4 .
Lando Norris ' lap was deleted for track limits, dropping him to P8 ; teammate Oscar Piastri moves up to P7 .
Arvid Lindblad will take a five-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted engine allocation.
Antonelli can clinch the 2026 F1 Drivers' Championship with the right result on Sunday.
The race starts at 1:30 AM IST on Monday, 27 October 2026 .
Kimi Antonelli secured pole position at the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin on 25 October 2026, clocking a fastest lap of 1m 34.035s in Q3 to edge out the Red Bull pair of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. It is the Italian teenager's seventh pole of the 2026 season — and it arrives on a weekend when he could be crowned Formula 1 World Champion.
Qualifying Rundown
Antonelli's first flying lap in Q3 proved untouchable as gusting, unpredictable winds at the Circuit of the Americas made improvements difficult in the closing minutes. Verstappen ended up nearly two-tenths off the pace in P2, marginally ahead of Hadjar in third and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth. Lewis Hamilton settled for P5.
Mercedes' George Russell was a frustrated P6, while McLaren's Oscar Piastri moved up to P7 after teammate Lando Norris' lap time was deleted for a track-limits violation, dropping the Briton to P8. Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson rounded out the top 10, though Lindblad will start from P15 after receiving a five-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted internal combustion engine allocation.
The Near-Misses Outside the Top 10
Pierre Gasly narrowly missed out on a top-10 start, finishing 11th — just 0.022 seconds adrift of the cut. He qualified ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto; notably, Audi's planned tow strategy for Bortoleto failed to deliver the expected lap-time benefit.
What Antonelli Said
'We got a pole, so we'll try to win tomorrow,' Antonelli told reporters after the session. 'Max has been very quick, and also Isack did an incredible job in qualifying. It's not going to be easy, but we'll try to get a good start and hopefully lead into Turn 1, and then we'll try to set the pace, even though it's going to be very tight. I'm very happy with qualifying — Q3 was very tough with the wind, very gusty and unpredictable. I'm happy that we stuck it on the pole,' he added.
Championship Context and What Is Next
A victory on Sunday — combined with the right results elsewhere — could hand Antonelli the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship, making the race one of the most consequential of the season. The 2026 United States Grand Prix is scheduled to get under way at 1:30 AM IST on Monday, 27 October 2026. With Verstappen starting directly behind him and the title potentially on the line, the run to Turn 1 at COTA is set to be fiercely contested.
Point of View
However, lies in the row behind him: Verstappen has been consistently fast all weekend and starts with nothing to lose. If Antonelli loses the lead at Turn 1, a title fight that looked settled could extend to the next race. The deletion of Norris's time also reshuffles the McLaren strategy, potentially affecting the constructors' battle. Sunday's race could settle two championships in one afternoon.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who took pole position at the 2026 United States Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli took pole position at the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin, posting a fastest lap of 1m 34.035s in Q3. It was his seventh pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the 2026 F1 World Championship at the US GP?
Yes. The 2026 United States Grand Prix is a title-decider weekend for Antonelli, meaning the right combination of results on Sunday could hand him the Drivers' Championship. He heads into the race as pole-sitter, which significantly strengthens his position.
What happened to Lando Norris in qualifying?
Lando Norris had his qualifying lap time deleted for a track-limits violation, dropping him from P7 to P8 on the grid. His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri moved up one place to P7 as a result.
Why will Arvid Lindblad start from a lower grid position?
Arvid Lindblad qualified inside the top 10 but will receive a five-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted internal combustion engine allocation under 2026 regulations, effectively dropping him to P15.
When does the 2026 United States Grand Prix start?
The 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin is scheduled to begin at 1:30 AM IST on Monday, 27 October 2026.
