Kimi Antonelli Earns Maiden F1 Pole at Miami Grand Prix

MIAMI, Florida – Kimi Antonelli achieved a remarkable milestone by securing his first Formula 1 pole position during the Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix on May 2, 2025. The teenager, driving for Mercedes, surprised himself with the achievement, despite feeling confident about his pace throughout the qualifying rounds.

In a thrilling SQ3 session, Antonelli clocked a time of 1 minute 26.482 seconds, surpassing reigning champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris completed the top three, qualifying second and third respectively.

Immediately after stepping out of the car, Antonelli expressed his excitement. “I’m feeling over the moon. I did not expect it, but I was feeling good in the car,” he said. “I was able to improve lap by lap and everything came together.”

After his emotional performance, Antonelli hugged his father, Marco, in the Mercedes garage. “I’m really happy to share this moment with him. He’s so important to me,” Antonelli remarked. “Hopefully next time I can share it with my mum and my sister as well.”

As he prepares for the Sprint race, Antonelli emphasized the importance of focus. “We did quite a long run in FP1 to gather information, and it’s crucial to be on top of the evolving track,” he added.

On the other hand, his teammate George Russell qualified fifth, expressing pride in Antonelli’s performance. “Massive congrats to Kimi – he did an amazing job,” Russell stated. “I’m just not quite comfortable with the car yet.”

Russell also reflected on his decision to run early during SQ3. “I struggled a bit today and we thought if there’s a red or yellow flag, it would work in our favor,” he explained, noting his challenges with pace. “But not great for P5 – more to improve.”

The Miami Grand Prix continues to be a significant event on the Formula 1 calendar, and Antonelli’s unexpected success has set the stage for an exciting weekend ahead.