Antonelli Takes Pole in Austin, Eyes Record Championship
Source reports published 25 Oct 2026, 10:40 am – 11:53 am AEST
Kimi Antonelli secured pole position at the United States Grand Prix, putting him in a strong position to become Formula One's youngest world champion. He requires a win and specific results from rivals to clinch the title.
What happened
- Kimi Antonelli achieved pole position for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, beating Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds.
- Antonelli leads the Formula One championship by 102 points, with a maximum of 150 points remaining.
- To secure the title, he would need to win the race and for George Russell to finish lower than ninth and Lewis Hamilton lower than fifth.
- Antonelli’s surprise pole came after Ferrari had dominated practice sessions.
- Ferrari president John Elkann was present, acknowledging the team’s recent struggles.
- Antonelli stated his intention to ‘one race at a time’ and enjoy the driving, while acknowledging the unique circumstances of the weekend.
- He has a significant advantage, 102 points ahead of Russell and 111 ahead of Hamilton.
- Despite his strong position, Antonelli acknowledged that a victory wasn't guaranteed, requiring ‘something catastrophic’ to happen to his rivals.
- The race represents Antonelli’s first shot at the championship, having achieved eight victories in 17 races this season, including a five-race winning streak.
- Max Verstappen offered Antonelli advice to simply ‘try and win the race’, while acknowledging the incredible season the young driver has had.
- Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled in qualifying, with Leclerc complaining about tyre grip and Hamilton stating it was ‘very hard to overtake’ at the track.
- Verstappen expressed ‘high hopes’ for strong race pace, while Antonelli and Russell remained cautious about the potential for overtaking.
Original reporting
- ABC: Antonelli on pole as he eyes record-setting world F1 title
2026-10-25T01:53:12+00:00 - BBC: United States Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli stands on brink of history in Austin
2026-10-25T00:40:56.705000+00:00