Kimi Antonelli secured his seventh pole position of the 2026 F1 season at the United States GP, beating Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar during Saturday’s Qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The Mercedes driver delivered a 1:34.035 on his opening Q3 attempt, securing pole by 0.179 seconds ahead of Verstappen, while Hadjar completed the top three.
The result marked a significant improvement for Mercedes following a weekend in which Ferrari had dominated Free Practice. Antonelli credited the team’s recent development work for its stronger performance, although he acknowledged that the pole position had come as a surprise.
With his first opportunity to secure the 2026 Drivers’ Championship approaching on Sunday, Antonelli also addressed the pressure surrounding the title fight, his rivalry with Verstappen and the importance of maintaining his usual approach to racing.
Antonelli reflects on surprise F1 pole after challenging Qualifying session at the 2026 United States GP
Ferrari entered Saturday’s Qualifying session as the team to beat after Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions, including FP2, where he narrowly beat Antonelli. Lewis Hamilton subsequently continued the team’s strong form by setting the fastest lap during Saturday’s FP3 session.
However, Mercedes became increasingly competitive during Qualifying, with Antonelli progressing comfortably through Q1 and Q2 before delivering the fastest lap during the opening runs of Q3. The Italian established a benchmark of 1:34.035, while Verstappen and Hadjar followed in second and third.
Although Antonelli could not complete his final flying lap, his initial effort remained unbeaten. Reflecting on the session, he explained how increasingly unpredictable wind conditions complicated the drivers’ attempts to improve.
“Yes, it’s been a good Qualifying where we progressed throughout the session. But yes, it was not an easy session. The wind was picking up and was being quite gusty, and Q3 was a little bit tricky because the wind was a bit unpredictable. It picked up as well, especially on that last lap. It felt a bit worse, but overall, yeah, I’m happy. I’m happy because we’ve been working really hard on this package, and we’re still trying to understand it fully. But since Singapore, we’ve taken a big step further, and now we’ve just got to keep working on it, keep understanding. But it’s a good result for the team because they’ve done a tremendous job on bringing this package, and finally, we’re seeing the results.”
Antonelli credits clean Qualifying session for unexpected result
Despite Mercedes’ improving performance throughout Qualifying, Antonelli admitted that securing pole position had exceeded his expectations. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, also expressed surprise over the team radio following the Italian’s successful Q3 effort.
Antonelli identified his ability to avoid track limits infringements as an important factor in his performance, particularly after several drivers lost lap times for exceeding the circuit boundaries during the weekend.
The issue continued throughout Saturday’s Qualifying session, with McLaren’s Lando Norris among those affected. The British driver initially improved during his final Q3 attempt, but officials deleted his lap time, leaving him eighth behind teammate Oscar Piastri.
By contrast, Antonelli retained his representative lap times throughout the session, allowing him to progress through each segment without the added pressure of recovering from a deletion.
“It was surprising, but also one of the biggest achievements for me today is that I didn’t do track limits! That also made our life a little bit easier. You know, I didn’t put myself in a difficult situation, and we were able to just progress throughout the session and build from there. But definitely, it was unexpected. We knew we’d be close, but yeah, it was a good surprise.”
Although his final Q3 attempt ended following a substantial slide exiting Turn 13, Antonelli had already established the fastest time, securing pole ahead of the two Red Bull drivers.
Mercedes upgrades improve medium- and high-speed performance at the 2026 F1 United States GP
Antonelli also discussed the performance improvements Mercedes has achieved through its latest development package, highlighting the work undertaken since the Singapore GP.
The team has continued evaluating the upgrades as it attempts to improve the car’s performance across different circuit characteristics. At Austin, the changes proved particularly beneficial through the medium- and high-speed corners, allowing Antonelli to establish a substantial advantage in the middle sector during Q3.
The Italian identified Turns 8 and 9 as particularly strong sections for the Mercedes, although he acknowledged that the car continues to struggle through slower corners.
“Medium-speed corners, high-speed, medium-speed. It felt in a good place, the car. We still struggle a little bit in low speed, but overall, yeah, the car has been very good in Sector 1 and Sector 2, especially through Turns 8 and 9. So that’s where we feel the most gain from the package. It’s still the low speed that we’re trying to understand.”
The improved performance through the faster sections of COTA contributed to Antonelli’s pole-winning lap, with the Italian gaining valuable time over his closest competitors.
However, his assessment also highlighted areas where Mercedes continues to work on its understanding of the package. With several different circuit layouts remaining on the 2026 calendar, the team will continue evaluating its performance as the championship approaches its conclusion.
Antonelli targets F1 victory at the 2026 United States GP despite Red Bull challenge
Although Antonelli secured pole position, Red Bull demonstrated competitive pace throughout Qualifying, with Verstappen and Hadjar occupying the next two positions.
Verstappen finished second with a 1:34.214, just 0.179 seconds behind Antonelli, while Hadjar recorded a 1:34.250 to secure third. Charles Leclerc followed in fourth, with Hamilton fifth and George Russell completing the top six in the second Mercedes.
The final Qualifying results therefore placed both Red Bull drivers directly behind Antonelli for Sunday’s race, with only 0.215 seconds separating the leading three.
Despite his advantage, Antonelli acknowledged the competitiveness of his rivals and identified the race start as an important consideration. The uphill approach to Turn 1 at COTA offers opportunities for drivers to challenge for position, particularly when the leading cars are closely matched.
“I’m just going to try to do the best race I can. I’m going to try to win, and then we’ll see what happens. But, you know, it’s good to finish the day like this. Of course, tomorrow is going to be a new day. Max has been very quick, Isack also has been very quick, so just need to get a good start, and then we’ll see from there what we can do.”
Antonelli will attempt to convert pole into victory on Sunday, while Verstappen and Hadjar aim to challenge Mercedes after securing Red Bull’s first double top-three Qualifying result of the weekend.
Antonelli welcomes prospect of future championship battles with Verstappen
Beyond Sunday’s United States GP, Antonelli also discussed the prospect of competing against Verstappen for victories and championship titles in the coming seasons.
The Italian has established himself as one of the leading contenders during his second Formula 1 campaign, securing seven pole positions and building a substantial advantage in the Drivers’ Championship.
Meanwhile, Verstappen has remained competitive throughout the season, including victories at the Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix ahead of the Austin weekend. The Dutchman arrived in the United States looking to continue that form, while Antonelli entered the event with an opportunity to secure the championship.
Asked about the possibility of further battles between the pair, Antonelli acknowledged Verstappen’s experience and competitiveness while welcoming the prospect of challenging him in the future.
“I think it will be amazing, of course. You know, Max is at an incredible level, and it’s very tough to beat him, especially when he’s got the momentum. But yeah, it will be a lot of fun to fight as well from already now and then for the future. Of course, it will be very tough, but a good challenge.”
The two drivers will share the front row for Sunday’s Grand Prix, providing another opportunity to compete directly after their recent battles during the closing stages of the championship.
Antonelli addresses pressure of first F1 World Championship opportunity at 2026 United States GP
The United States GP represents Antonelli’s first mathematical opportunity to secure the 2026 F1 Drivers’ Championship, with the Mercedes driver holding a substantial advantage over his closest rivals.
To clinch the title in Austin, Antonelli must win Sunday’s race while Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. Although the outcome depends on results elsewhere, securing pole position has placed the Italian in a strong position to pursue the victory required.
Asked whether the possibility of becoming World Champion had changed his experience of the weekend, Antonelli acknowledged the significance of the occasion but maintained that his priorities remained the same.
“I mean, it does feel a little bit different, but the goal stays the same. I just need to keep doing my job, and actually, I feel like I can enjoy the driving and everything more. But of course, we still have to do the race tomorrow, still have to try and win, and then, of course, we’ll see what happens.
he continued, “But yeah, I feel like I can enjoy it a bit more because obviously I’m in a very good position. But still, the mindset is always the same.”
Antonelli therefore enters the race concentrating on securing another victory rather than focusing exclusively on the championship permutations.
Even if he does not clinch the title in Austin, his advantage in the standings will remain an important factor heading into the final five Grands Prix of the season.
Antonelli discusses importance of support network during title fight
Antonelli also addressed how he has managed the expectations associated with leading the Drivers’ Championship, particularly as the season approaches its decisive stages.
With the possibility of securing his first Formula 1 title, the Italian has faced increasing attention surrounding his performances and approach to individual race weekends. However, he explained that maintaining familiar routines away from the circuit has helped him balance the demands of competition.
Asked whether he relies on those around him, including his father, to maintain perspective during the championship battle, Antonelli highlighted the importance of spending time with friends and separating his professional responsibilities from his personal life.
“Yeah, for sure. I have a great group of people around me. I have a lot of friends here as well, so we enjoy the evenings together. We play cards in the evening, so we’re just doing the fun stuff, and that all helps to relax a little bit and disconnect mentally. Then, once you go on track, you’re back fully focused.”
Antonelli explained that these activities allow him to relax away from the paddock before returning his attention to driving when he reaches the circuit.
The Mercedes driver will continue following that routine ahead of Sunday’s race, where he will attempt to build on his pole position while managing the championship implications of the result.
Antonelli prepares for potentially decisive 2026 F1 United States GP
Antonelli enters Sunday’s United States GP from pole position following an encouraging performance for Mercedes, with the team’s recent development work contributing to improvements through the medium- and high-speed corners at COTA.
However, his advantage remains narrow, with Verstappen and Hadjar qualifying within 0.215 seconds of the Italian. Ferrari also demonstrated competitive pace throughout the weekend, although Leclerc and Hamilton could not convert their Free Practice performances into a front-row start.
The race will therefore present another challenge for Antonelli, particularly during the opening stages when the leading drivers attempt to establish track position.
Beyond the fight for victory, the championship leader also has the opportunity to secure his maiden World Championship if Russell and Hamilton finish outside the positions required to keep the title battle open.
With his seventh pole position of the season secured, Antonelli will begin Sunday’s race aiming to convert his Qualifying performance into another victory, regardless of whether the championship is decided in Austin.
