Did Antonelli Expect to Claim His First Pole Position in Miami?

Miami, May 3 (NationPress) Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was ecstatic after securing his first-ever Formula 1 pole position during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix. The young Italian confessed he was surprised by this achievement, despite feeling confident in his speed heading into the session.

Antonelli made history by becoming the youngest driver to ever achieve pole position in the sport.

After demonstrating strong performances in both SQ1 and SQ2, Antonelli showcased his skills in SQ3, clocking an impressive 1m 26.482s lap, which was enough to dethrone Max Verstappen of Red Bull. This lap time remained unbeaten as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris from McLaren settled for second and third positions.

“I’m feeling over the moon. I did not see this coming, but I was feeling good in the car,” Antonelli expressed.

“I managed to enhance my lap times and establish consistency, and that lap came together perfectly. I am extremely happy with this, and while I will savor this moment, I also want to concentrate on the upcoming race because I aspire to replicate this success,” the Italian added.

A touching moment occurred when Antonelli entered the Mercedes garage to hug his father, Marco, in celebration of this significant achievement. The teenager later paid homage to his family, recognizing their unwavering support throughout his journey in Formula 1.

“It was really wonderful, especially finding him in the garage after Qualifying. I’m thrilled to share this moment with him. He is incredibly important to me, like a rock, and I know I can always depend on him,” Antonelli stated.

“I would also love to share this moment with my mum and sister, but hopefully, next time,” he added.

Reflecting on Saturday’s Sprint and the entire weekend at the Miami International Autodrome, a track he had never driven on before, Antonelli mentioned, “We conducted a lengthy run in FP1 to gather as much information as possible.

“Of course, we are uncertain of the pace of others, but we will discover that during the [Sprint]. Regarding Qualifying, the track will continue to evolve, so it is crucial to stay ahead and attempt to repeat our performance.”

In the other side of the Mercedes garage, George Russell briefly held the top spot in SQ3 after completing his lap earlier than most. However, he was ultimately pushed down to fifth place.

Reflecting on the session and his decision to run early, Russell remarked: “Firstly, huge congratulations to Kimi - I’m really happy to see that. He did an outstanding job and has been very quick all day, which is impressive.

“I struggled a bit today, not quite finding my rhythm, and we decided to run earlier because ultimately I didn’t feel entirely confident. We thought that perhaps if there was a red or yellow flag at the end, it might benefit us. But ending up at P5 today isn't ideal – there’s more room for improvement, but it’s wonderful for Kimi and the team.”

When asked about his confidence struggles in Miami, the Brit responded, “These Sprint race weekends are tricky. If you get into a rhythm early, you can build on it, but I just didn’t feel it in the car today, especially with the tires slipping around a bit.

“Nevertheless, it’s Sprint Qualifying today – obviously disappointing not to be higher up the grid, but I’m genuinely happy for Kimi.”