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Kimi Antonelli Secures Pole Position at US Grand Prix
Confirmed
In Short: Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on Saturday, setting up a potential championship-clinching race on Sunday.
Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on Saturday, setting up a potential championship-clinching race on Sunday.
Antonelli expressed his delight after qualifying, saying, "It feels good to be back." He will become the world champion if he wins the race and Lewis Hamilton finishes lower than fourth, while George Russell finishes lower than eighth.
The qualifying session saw intense competition, with several drivers facing investigations for not following race director instructions and others facing grid penalties due to power unit issues.
Antonelli's pole position is a significant step towards his first F1 world title, as the race in Austin is one of the most exciting on the calendar.
The 56-lap race will be held on a 20-turn, 3.427-mile (5.515-kilometer) road course, with a maximum of 125 points still available for the championship.
The United States Grand Prix has been held at COTA since 2012, and this year's race marks the first time in the 2026 season that the world championship could be clinched.
Antonelli's Mercedes teammate, Isack Hadjar, will start third, followed by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
The race is set to be a thrilling conclusion to the season, with Antonelli's pole position putting him in a strong position to secure his first F1 title.
The race will be closely watched by fans and the media, with Antonelli's performance in Austin potentially determining the outcome of the 2026 F1 world championship.
Background
The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship.
What's confirmed
- Kimi Antonelli has to win the US Grand Prix to have a chance of securing the F1 title in Austin Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the United States Grand Prix on the weekend on which he can potentially clinch his first world title.
- Check out the full results from qualifying ahead of the 2026 F1 United States Grand Prix in Austin!
What's still developing
- Best images of F1 in the US through the years US GP Preview: Will Austin Crown a Champion?
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli conseguiu ficar dentro das linhas brancas e garantiu a pole do GP dos Estados Unidos Andrea Kimi Antonelli deu mais um passo decisivo rumo ao primeiro título da carreira na Fórmula 1 e conquistou a pole-position do GP dos Estados Unidos.
- Na classificação deste sábado (24), em Austin, o italiano bateu Max Verstappen com 1min34s035.
- O GP dos Estados Unidos acontece de 23 a 25 de outubro, em Austin, com treinos livres, classificação e corrida.
- Verstappen, então, voltou à pista pressionado, e como até os gênios cometem erros, a pole ficou com o garoto de 20 anos que pode sair dos Estados Unidos com o primeiro título da carreira na F1.
- De pneus macios usados, colocou 0s3 sobre a Ferrari na primeira tentativa de volta rápida e voltou aos boxes para poupar borracha — e a coluna dolorida com os solavancos do carro nas ondulações de Austin.
- Lando Norris had a late improvement deleted so will start alongside his fellow McLaren of Oscar Piastri, with Arvid Lindblad ninth in qualifying, though he will drop down to 14th, meaning Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly round out the top 10 on the provisional grid.
- Three drivers knew before qualifying that they would be taking grid penalties, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto all taking separate power unit penalties after the session.
- Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom.
- It was tipped to be a battle between the Ferraris and Max Verstappen; however, it was Antonelli who stole the show by claiming pole on a 1m 34.035.
- Quiet on pit lane to start. 4:23: Alonso did make it to Q2 but … since his car was on fire at the end of Q1 we will wait to see if he takes to the track for Q2. 4:22: Ocon, Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, and Colapinto will be investigated after the session for failure to follow race director instructions (maximum delta time). 4:21: Norris, Leclerc, Verstappen, Hadjar, Hamilton, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Lawson, Hülkenberg, Russell, Lindblad, Piastri, Colapinto, Gasly, Bearman, and Alonso are the 16 through to Q2, in that order. 4:20: Ocon, Stroll, Sainz, Albon, Pérez, and Bottas are the six drivers out. 4:18: Gasly has been shown a black-and-white flag for driving too slowly. 4:18: Clock hits zero.
- Ferrari seemingly confident right now. 4:06: Bearman is being told to “ignore” his left rear tire temp.