Antonelli Sets Modern F1 Pole Record, Hamilton Praises Rising Star

Shanghai, China – Kimi Antonelli, at 19 years, six months and 17 days old, etched his name into Formula 1 history on Saturday by securing pole position for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver became the youngest driver ever to achieve this feat, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record set in 2008 ESPN.

Hamilton Hails Antonelli’s Achievement

Lewis Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari last season, prompting Mercedes to elevate Antonelli to a full-time F1 seat, was effusive in his praise. “A great record. It’s going to take a while for someone to ever receive close to that one,” Hamilton said after qualifying third ESPN. He added, “He took my seat! And he hit it hard from the get-head, so it’s really great to see him progressing and he really deserves it.”

Qualifying Recap

Antonelli’s qualifying performance was particularly impressive, beating his Mercedes teammate George Russell by 0.222 seconds with a lap time of 1:32.064 The New York Times. Russell, who secured sprint race pole on Friday and won Saturday’s sprint race, faced a late challenge due to a suspected gearbox issue that limited his final qualifying lap The New York Times.

Looking Ahead to the Race

Antonelli, Italy’s first pole sitter since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009, expressed his excitement for the race. “I’m very happy because at the end, you know, it’s just the beginning,” he stated Reuters. “Obviously there’s a lot more to come. And, yeah, really looking forward to tomorrow … the car is feeling really good, the car is strong so, yeah, a lot to play for tomorrow.”

The Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled for 56 laps of the 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit.

Verstappen Struggles

Former champion Max Verstappen experienced a difficult qualifying session, finishing only eighth fastest, indicating struggles for Red Bull Reuters.