Mercedes' Italian teen driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix

Mercedes' Italian teen driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff heralded Kimi Antonelli’s emergence on Saturday after the Italian teen stunned rivals with a dazzling lap to capture pole position for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old Italian, the youngest championship leader in F1 history, clocked a time of one minute and 27.798 seconds with his first lap in Q3 to jump four-tenths clear of his competitors and, effectively, take pole without needing an improved second lap. 

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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