Sensational Qualifying Performance: Kimi Antonelli stunned the Formula 1 world by clocking a fastest lap of 1:26.482 in Sprint Qualifying. This remarkable feat at the Miami International Autodrome saw him outpace McLaren’s championship leader, Oscar Piastri, by a mere 0.045 seconds.
SQ1 – Antonelli Sets the Early Pace: The first segment of Sprint Qualifying saw Antonelli immediately assert his dominance. His initial lap of 1:27.858 placed him at the top of the timing sheets, a hair’s breadth (0.008s) ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, with Max Verstappen of Red Bull trailing in third. Piastri held fourth, while his Mercedes teammate George Russell occupied fifth. Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls faced an early setback with his first flying lap being deleted, leaving him needing a strong final attempt to progress.
Hadjar Recovered, Tsunoda Eliminated: Hadjar successfully delivered under pressure, his final lap elevating him to 12th and securing his place in SQ2. However, Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull Racing was less fortunate. He failed to cross the finish line before the checkered flag, resulting in his elimination in 18th place. Also falling at the first hurdle were Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (15th), Alpine’s Jack Doohan (16th), Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (19th), and Haas’ Oliver Bearman (20th), who also missed the flag. The session concluded with Russell snatching the top spot with a late lap of 1:27.688, followed by Antonelli, Williams’ Alex Albon, Norris, Carlos Sainz, and Piastri.
SQ2 – McLaren and Verstappen Trade Blows: Verstappen initially set the benchmark in SQ2 with a time of 1:27.729. Antonelli briefly eclipsed this, going just two-thousandths of a second faster. The McLaren duo then upped the ante, with Norris moving almost two-tenths clear before Piastri went even quicker with a lap of 1:27.354. Ultimately, it was Norris who emerged fastest from SQ2 with a lap of 1:27.109, leading Verstappen by 0.136s and Piastri by 0.245s. Antonelli continued his strong showing in fourth, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Russell, Albon, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and Hadjar also progressed to SQ3. The drivers eliminated in this segment were Kick Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg (11th), Haas’ Esteban Ocon (12th), Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (13th), who brushed the wall during his lap, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson (14th), and Sainz (15th), whose lock-up forced him to abandon his final attempt.
SQ3 – Antonelli Seals Historic Pole: The final shootout, SQ3, saw Verstappen first out, setting a time of 1:27.070. Russell, right behind him, swiftly bettered that with a 1:26.791. While Russell returned to the pits, Verstappen, having made an error, opted for a second run and remarkably regained provisional pole. However, the other Mercedes driver was on a charge. Norris initially demoted Verstappen, but then Antonelli, demonstrating incredible precision, pieced together a stunning lap of 1:26.482 to snatch pole position. Piastri came close, but the young Italian’s time held firm, securing a historic first pole. Behind the top four, Russell finished fifth, followed by Leclerc, Hamilton, Albon, Hadjar, and Alonso.
Sprint Qualifying Results:
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:26.482
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – +0.045
- Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – +0.100
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – +0.255
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.309
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.326
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.548
- Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – +0.711
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – +1.061
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – +1.308
- Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – +1.368
- Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – +1.588
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – +1.685
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – +1.893
- Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – –
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – +2.546
- Jack Doohan (Alpine/Renault) – +2.689
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – +2.764
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – +2.830
- Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – +3.343
Summary: Kimi Antonelli, an 18-year-old Mercedes driver, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the youngest ever pole sitter in Formula 1 history during the Sprint Qualifying for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. He topped the session with a lap of 1:26.482, narrowly beating championship leader Oscar Piastri. The qualifying session saw intense battles throughout the three segments, with several drivers showing impressive pace. Ultimately, Antonelli’s exceptional performance secured him the coveted first position for the Sprint race.
Disclaimer: It is important to note that Sprint Qualifying results determine the starting grid for the Sprint race only and do not affect the starting grid for the main Grand Prix race on Sunday.
| Practice Session Results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Driver | Car | Points |
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:26.482 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.045 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.100 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.255 |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.309 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.326 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.548 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.711 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +1.061 |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.308 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | – – |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | – – |
| 13 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | – – |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | – – |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | – – |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | – – |
| 17 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | – – |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | – – |
| 19 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | – – |
| 20 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | – – |
Source: FIA
AI Assistance: Gemini
