F1’s youngest polesitter: 18-year-old Antonelli makes history in Miami sprint qualifying, breaking Vettel’s record

MIAMI, May 3 — Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest polesitter in any format after a mighty final lap in Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying today.

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.

“I did not see that coming, to be honest. I thought the lap was good and I was happy with it,” said a surprised Antonelli, who replaced seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in January.

“There were still a few bits where I could have done a bit better but I feel super happy with how I put all the sectors together.”

The previous youngest ever pole sitter was Sebastian Vettel at the age of 21 years and 73 days in 2008 at the Italian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso, now Racing Bulls, before sprint races existed.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said it did not matter what kind of pole it was.

“It’s about the trajectory. It’s not whether it’s a pole in only the sprint, or a pole tomorrow or in the future, he’s done it and he’s quickest,” said the Austrian.

Ferrari’s British driver Lewis Hamilton races during Sprint qualifying for the 2025 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida May 2, 2025. — AFP pic

Hamilton seventh

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 Sunday’s main event, with qualifying for that race taking place after the Saturday sprint.

“We can still fight from there in the sprint tomorrow. All in all pretty happy,” said the Australian.

“We’ve got a bit more pace to unlock hopefully, so I’m feeling positive still. I’ll try to make up a spot in the sprint before we get stuck into where the big points are.”

Norris, who took his first grand prix win in Miami last year said he was also happy to get a good lap in.

Russell and Antonelli were one-two in the first phase of qualifying at the Hard Rock Stadium complex, with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda the big casualty of the session in 18th place.

The Japanese locked up into turn 17, failing to complete the lap, and then lost out when he slowed to leave a gap to Verstappen and then failed to beat the clock.

Alpine’s Australian Jack Doohan also went out at the first hurdle, venting at the team for a pitlane mess-up with teammate Pierre Gasly, who made contact with the wall in phase two and qualified 13th.

“That’s not acceptable,” Doohan, still with a question mark over his future, fumed over the radio. “You guys put me out of Q1. That’s a joke.”

Norris was fastest in the second phase, ahead of Verstappen and Piastri.

Russell and Verstappen were the only ones to set a lap time early in Q3, with the others waiting until two minutes from the end to go out on track.

Antonelli emerged as the quickest, the first Italian to take a pole of any sort since Giancarlo Fisichella in Belgium with the Mercedes-powered Force India team in 2009.

“Well done, lad,” said Antonelli’s race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington. “I think we’re getting somewhere.” — Reuters