Antonelli Shines with First F1 Qualifying Podium as Russell Secures Another Top-Five Start in Miami
A dramatic Saturday at the Miami Grand Prix delivered Mercedes a strong platform for Sunday’s race, with rookie Kimi Antonelli securing his first-ever top-three qualifying finish and teammate George Russell continuing his streak of top-five starts.
The day began with a rain-soaked Sprint race that saw tricky conditions delay the start by over half an hour. Both Antonelli and Russell lined up on intermediate tyres, navigating a slippery circuit in the early laps. Antonelli dropped to fourth at the first corner, while Russell held his ground in fifth.
As the track began to dry, Antonelli’s race took an unfortunate turn when he was struck by Max Verstappen during an unsafe pit lane release. The incident shuffled him down the order, and after post-race penalties were applied, he ended the Sprint in seventh. Russell opted for a later switch to slick tyres, losing some time but recovering well to finish fifth on track—later classified fourth.
Qualifying in the afternoon proved just as intense. Both drivers advanced into Q3 in a tightly contested session, with Antonelli missing out on pole by just 0.067 seconds and Russell only 0.181 seconds adrift. The result marks another significant milestone for the 18-year-old Antonelli, who had claimed Sprint pole the day before.
“I’ve felt comfortable in the car all weekend,” Antonelli said. “Q3 was my best session today. I pushed hard and maybe overdid it in Turn 1, but overall, I’m happy with P3. We had the pace for more in the Sprint, so hopefully we can stay clean tomorrow and go for a stronger result.”
Russell, meanwhile, acknowledged he’s still searching for single-lap confidence. “It hasn’t quite clicked for me this weekend,” he admitted. “That said, to be within two tenths of pole and still start fifth is something we can work with. Kimi has done a fantastic job and it gives us both a solid shot at big points tomorrow.”
Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed cautious optimism heading into race day. “Neither Kimi nor George had perfect laps, but they delivered under pressure. Given how tight the field is, starting P3 and P5 puts us in a strong position. The weather could mix things up tomorrow, and that might play to our advantage given recent pace trends.”
With variable weather once again on the forecast and all eyes on Antonelli’s meteoric rise, Sunday’s Grand Prix is shaping up to be another thrilling chapter in a fiercely competitive F1 season.
