US GP Qualifying: Antonelli Beats Verstappen to Pole

Kimi Antonelli beat Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds to secure United States GP pole, with Isack Hadjar third as Ferrari’s early advantage faded in qualifying.

Ferrari led every practice session in Austin. When qualifying delivered its verdict, Kimi Antonelli was ahead of both Ferraris and both Red Bulls.

The Mercedes driver’s 1:34.035 on his first Q3 attempt secured pole for the United States Grand Prix, 0.179 seconds clear of Max Verstappen. Isack Hadjar qualified third, just 0.036 seconds behind his Red Bull teammate.

It was Antonelli’s seventh pole of the season and his first since Belgium. Mercedes had spent the weekend improving the setup of its updated car, and he delivered the lap that turned that work into first place.

Antonelli finds the difference

Austin’s final sector proved critical. Antonelli kept his tires working through the closing corners, completing a lap that nobody could beat on the final runs.

“I was surprised to take P1; it felt like a good lap though,” he said.

George Russell qualified sixth, 0.441 seconds behind his teammate, after two untidy Q3 attempts. Both Red Bulls and both Ferraris separated the Mercedes drivers.

Red Bull edges Ferrari in a tight fight

Hadjar came close to matching Verstappen and finished just 0.017 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton followed in fifth, leaving only 0.097 seconds between the four drivers behind Antonelli.

For Ferrari, fourth and fifth fell short of the promise shown in practice. Leclerc had topped both Friday sessions before Hamilton led FP3, but neither found enough in Q3 to reach the front row.

McLaren occupied seventh and eighth, with Oscar Piastri ahead of Lando Norris. Racing Bulls completed the qualifying top 10 through Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, who did not set a Q3 time.

The rest of qualifying

Pierre Gasly narrowly missed Q3 in 11th, followed by Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto and Franco Colapinto. Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman completed the drivers eliminated in Q2.

Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas went out in Q1.

For the full qualifying order, visit our homepage and open Qualifying Results.

The accompanying graphic shows qualifying positions and Q3 times, before grid penalties are applied.