Kimi Antonelli etched his name into Formula 1 history on Saturday, becoming the youngest driver ever to secure pole position for a grand prix at the Chinese Grand Prix. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver clocked a blistering 1 minute, 32.604 seconds in Shanghai, a performance that sets the stage for a thrilling race on Sunday.
Antonelli’s achievement surpasses the previous record held by Sebastian Vettel, who qualified fastest for the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at the age of 21. This marks a significant moment for the young Italian, who similarly previously set the record for the youngest pole sitter for a sprint race last year in Miami.
The qualifying session wasn’t without drama, as Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, who had earlier won the sprint race, encountered gearbox issues that limited him to a single flying lap. Despite the mechanical setback, Russell managed to secure second place on the grid, completing a front-row lockout for Mercedes. “Was a pretty clean session, so really happy,” Antonelli said. “Of course George had an issue … I saw he had an issue, but I just tried to keep my focus and deliver a decent lap.”
Russell’s sprint race victory earlier in the day demonstrated his pace, but the qualifying issue prevented him from challenging for pole. He had likened the wheel-to-wheel battles with Ferrari in the sprint to go-kart racing, adding to the excitement of the weekend.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton will start from third position, with Charles Leclerc close behind in fourth. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will line up in fifth and sixth, respectively. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen qualified in eighth, nearly nine tenths of a second off Antonelli’s pace.
The Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix is set to resume on Sunday, March 15, with live blog coverage on ABC Sport beginning at 4pm AEDT. This qualifying result adds another layer of anticipation to what is already shaping up to be a captivating race.
This is also the first time an Italian driver has claimed pole position since Giancarlo Fisichella qualified fastest for the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix.
