"Amazing day": Antonelli reacts to a third successive pole position

Written by Maham Mir

Antonelli will aim for a third consecutive Grand Prix win in Miami on Sunday | Credit: Formula One

A year on from becoming Formula One’s youngest ever pole sitter in the sprint format, Kimi Antonelli took his career third pole position at the Miami Grand Prix. Joining the famed names of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, Antonelli has also taken his first three pole positions in succession. 

Speaking to the media after the end of the session, Antonelli noted that he and Mercedes had a “difficult start to the day with the sprint” where he lost multiple positions on the opening lap after a difficult start. Despite battling with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for position, it was a less than ideal finish. 

He also noted that things in the sprint “didn’t go our way” after starting in between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who quickly drove off into the distance after Antonelli’s start. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff confirmed that Antonelli suffered from “grip calibration issues” at the start of the sprint race which contributed to his drop down the order. 

Having been shown a black and white flag during the sprint, the young Italian driver was also given a five second time penalty for exceeding track limits which saw him drop from fourth to sixth. As a result of this, his points haul out of the 100 kilometre dash to the line was limited. 

With this pole position on a weekend where significant upgrade packages for McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull have brought the front-running teams closer together, Antonelli said that he was “super happy with the recovery” between the end of the sprint and the start of qualifying. 

Although the young Italian driver has suffered difficult starts throughout the season so far, losing positions on every start regardless of format, he remained optimistic ahead of the fourth Grand Prix of the season. He noted: “hopefully the magic one [start] will come tomorrow”. 

Leading the championship standings, becoming the first teenager to do so, and fresh off the back of his first and second Grands Prix wins in F1, Antonelli will no doubt be hoping to “maximise the opportunity” won by him at the front of the grid.