MOTORSPORT – Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest polesitter in any format after lapping fastest in Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying yesterday.
The 18-year-old, preparing for only his sixth grand prix weekend, lapped with a best time of one minute 26.482 seconds to pip McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri by 0.045 seconds.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was third fastest with Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen completing the second row on the day he announced he had become a father for the first time.
“The last lap was mighty. I put everything together. I’m really happy to get the first pole,” said a surprised Antonelli, who replaced seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in January.
Hamilton, winner of the first sprint race of the season in China from pole position for Ferrari, qualified seventh with teammate Charles Leclerc sixth. Mercedes’ George Russell will line up ahead of them in fifth.
Only the top eight places in today’s 100km race score points.
Williams had Alex Albon qualify eighth with French rookie Isack Hadjar ninth for Racing Bulls and Fernando Alonso completing the top 10 for Aston Martin.
Piastri leads closest rival Norris by 10 points and will be chasing his third grand prix win in a row in tomorrow’s main event, with qualifying for that race taking place after today’s sprint.
Earlier yesterday, Piastri was fastest in sole practice for the Miami Grand Prix while teammate Norris had to pit and jettison tools left in his car.
The Australian, chasing a third win in a row tomorrow, lapped on the quickest soft tyres with a best time one minute 27.128 seconds with Leclerc next best but 0.356 slower.
Verstappen was third quickest and 0.430 off the leading pace.
Norris, last year’s Miami winner who lost the championship lead to Piastri in Saudi Arabia two weeks’ ago, was only 12th on the timesheets after red flags prevented him completing a lap on soft tyres.
He had to pit earlier after he found tools, including a torch, left in the cockpit when he took to the track for his first lap.
Stewards said they were investigating the team for releasing the car in an apparently unsafe condition, with the risk of a fine.
The session was stopped with four minutes remaining after Haas rookie Ollie Bearman hit the wall at Turn 12, before some drivers had completed quick laps on the soft tyres.
“I’m fine, sorry,” said the Briton.
Norris and Haas’s Esteban Ocon had earlier had a near-miss when the McLaren came up fast on the Frenchman going slow on the racing line at the end of the straight. That incident was also being investigated.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz was fourth with teammate Alex Albon fifth and Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar sixth.
Mercedes had Russell seventh, ahead of Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Antonelli with Alonso 10th for Aston Martin.
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