The 2026 F1 Chinese GP Qualifying session saw Kimi Antonelli achieve a career-defining milestone by claiming pole position, becoming the youngest driver in history to do so. This result builds on a strong start to his season following his second-place finish in Australia.
Building momentum through Qualifying
Antonelli secured P1 while his teammate, George Russell, dealt with technical issues during Q3. Despite these difficulties in the Mercedes garage, the young Italian driver focused on his own performance to deliver a clean final lap.
Antonelli’s journey to pole position required constant adjustments, as the Italian driver battled with the balance of his car throughout qualifying. However, he found a good rhythm and managed to find additional time on every single run.
When asked at the post-Qualifying press conference about becoming a record-breaker, the Mercedes driver stayed grounded, keeping his focus on the bigger picture. He expressed satisfaction with the car’s current strength but emphasised that this result is only the beginning of his fight.
“Yeah, it was a good session, a clean one. Of course, George had an issue in Q3, so probably could have been a different story, but I’m happy with the lap I did, to be fair, and really happy to be starting on pole for my first time.”
“I don’t know. I feel, I mean, I’m very happy, I’m very happy because at the end, it’s just the beginning, so obviously there’s a lot more to come. And really looking forward to tomorrow and the car is feeling really good, the car is strong, so a lot to play for tomorrow, but yeah, just super happy with today.”
Antonelli managing tyre graining at the 2026 F1 Chinese GP
Earlier today, Antonelli finished P5 in the Sprint Race. That session provided critical data regarding tire graining on the Shanghai circuit. He identified graining on the front-left tyre as a major concern for Sunday’s Race.
With cooler temperatures expected for the main race, tyre management will be his primary focus. He also acknowledged the need for a cleaner getaway from the grid, as his starts have been a point of difficulty in previous rounds.
“Yeah, I mean definitely I got into a nice rhythm. I struggled a little bit with the balance throughout qualifying, but I mean tomorrow the wind is going to change massively again, so it should be better. But it was nice because for the first time in a qualifying session I was able to find lap time every time I was going on track.”
“Well, definitely graining is going to be a big factor. It’s going to be a bit colder tomorrow, so it could be even worse for graining. So just need to stay on top of that, trying to manage that front left. First of all, have a good start because I didn’t have a good one so far, and then just try to set the pace.”
Antonelli evaluates the Ferrari’s strengths
The front-row start puts Antonelli in a prime position at the 2026 F1 Chinese GP, but the threat from behind with Russell in P2, Hamilton in P3 and Leclerc in P4 is significant. Ferrari showed strong pace during FP1 and the Sprint race, particularly on cold tires.
Antonelli highlighted the start as a specific strength for Hamilton and Leclerc. His strategy for the race on Sunday involves a clean launch to maintain his lead and then setting a sustainable pace to manage the expected graining issues.
“Well, they certainly look very strong, especially also on cold tyres. They look like they’ve got good pace, but of course also the start is a very strong point of theirs. So just going to try to have a clean start and then we’ll see from there.”
