Kimi Antonelli Storms to Record-Breaking Pole in Miami

18-year-old Kimi Antonelli becomes F1's youngest pole sitter, securing top spot in Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying.

18-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli stunned the field by securing pole position in the Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying. Antonelli's blistering final lap, with a time of 1:26.482, left McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in second and third.

“It was a very intense qualifying. I felt really good since this morning and I felt good going into qualifying. I put everything together, so really happy to get the first pole,” Antonelli said. “Tomorrow will be nice to start on the front row, will be a bit of a different feeling.” With this achievement, Antonelli became Formula 1's youngest-ever pole sitter.

Kimi Antonelli continues to make history in Formula 1. The 18-year-old recently became the youngest driver to lead a race, breaking Max Verstappen's record from 2016. Now, he's secured pole position in the Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying.

Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest ever pole sitter of all race formats in F1 history!

He will start P1 for tomorrow's Sprint Race in Miami 🙌#BBCF1 pic.twitter.com/9TKtHye5Jh

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 2, 2025

“He's a young man... Hopefully we make a lot of fun in the future, a lot of happiness,” Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said. “It's about the trajectory. It's not whether it's a pole in the sprint, or tomorrow, he has done it and he's quickest.” Antonelli's teammate George Russell qualified fifth.

“I've been struggling a little bit today, a little bit off the pace, not been so comfortable,” he said.

“We just wanted to go on the early side because ultimately I didn't quite have that confidence, and we thought maybe if there's a yellow or a red at the end of the session, it will come our way.

“P5 today, not great, more to improve, but amazing for Kimi and the team. Massive congrats to Kimi. Really pleased to see. He did an amazing job. He has been really quick all day. Really impressive.”