Kimi Antonelli Stuns F1 Rivals with Record-Breaking Pole at Miami Grand Prix
According to a report from the Mirror, Kimi Antonelli has made a significant impression in his first season as a Formula 1 driver, and his display in sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix caught the eye of the racing community. The 18-year-old driver qualified on pole for the sprint race, breaking the record for the youngest ever polesitter in Formula 1.
The Mirror reports that Antonelli’s achievement was met with surprise and admiration from his rivals. "I don’t know how that Merc is legal," Williams driver Alex Albon was heard saying over team radio. However, there is no indication that Antonelli or his team have done anything wrong, and the comments may have been made in hyperbole rather than as an outright accusation of illegality.
As reported by the Mirror, Antonelli’s hot lap in sprint qualifying certainly caught the eye, as he pipped Drivers’ Championship frontrunner Oscar Piastri to pole for Saturday’s sprint race in Miami. The two McLarens qualified in second and third for the sprint race, with Piastri just ahead of team-mate Lando Norris. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is fourth, having taken part in Miami after the birth of his daughter Lily.
The Mirror notes that Antonelli’s record-breaking achievement is significant, as he has beaten the previous record for youngest polesitter in either a sprint or GP format by more than two years. That record was set by Sebastian Vettel in Italy all the way back in 2008, and Vettel is still the youngest to claim pole for a grand prix.
Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle was impressed by Antonelli’s performance, as quoted in the Mirror. "Tremendous. What an effort from such a young driver," the former F1 star said. "He has no experience of Miami other than on the simulator and has gone out and smashed a lap in. That’s an outstanding effort."
The Mirror also reports that Antonelli himself was surprised by the achievement. "I did not see that coming. I felt the lap was good and I was happy with it," he said, per Sky Sports. "There were still a few bits I could have done better but I was super happy with how I put all the sectors together."
As noted by the Mirror, Antonelli has noticed a gradual improvement in his first F1 season, adding: "The whole qualifying I felt I was able to make a step lap by lap. I’m much more aware of how to do a consistent warm-up and extract more out of the tyres but there’s a lot to improve. Every weekend I get more confident with the car, can play with it more and explore the limits. At the same time, I can understand more from the set-up and give much better feedback which allows the team to improve the car."
The Mirror’s report also mentions that Formula 1 fans can watch every practice, qualifying and race live with Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in a new deal that saves £192. As well as Sky Sports access, this includes more than 100 TV channels and free subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
In related news, the Miami Grand Prix has seen some jaw-dropping food and drink prices, including the cost of a beer. Additionally, the FIA has explained the final Max Verstappen penalty decision after the Miami GP incident.
