Story perspectives

Antonelli wins Austin pole, Verstappen second

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 2:40 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Antonelli Secures Pole

Kimi Antonelli secured pole for the United States Grand Prix in Austin with a 1:34.035 lap.
Antonelli’s time was 0.179 seconds faster than Max Verstappen, who qualified second.
George Russell qualified sixth, missing the top five needed to keep his championship hopes alive.
Antonelli leads the championship by 102 points and must win while Russell finishes ninth or lower to clinch it.

Summary

Antonelli Hits Fence

Antonelli hit a wooden fence while reversing his Mercedes-AMG GT in an Austin parking lot.
He received death threats on social media after a mistaken Red Bull claim in 2025 and later apologized.
He hand-washes his Mercedes-AMG GT63 road car, refusing automatic machines.
Forbes estimated his 2025 earnings at $12.5 million and his 2026 base salary at about €3 million, the lowest paid front-grid drivers.

History

Historical Context

After the FIA revamped its Super Licence in 2015—setting an 18-year minimum and a 40-point threshold—20-year-old Max Verstappen entered F1 in 2016, sparking age debates. In 2025, 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli claimed pole at Austin by 0.179 seconds, reigniting calls from the FIA and teams such as Mercedes-AMG to review the rules.

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Antonelli Secures Pole

Kimi Antonelli secured pole for the United States Grand Prix in Austin with a 1:34.035 lap.
Antonelli’s time was 0.179 seconds faster than Max Verstappen, who qualified second.
George Russell qualified sixth, missing the top five needed to keep his championship hopes alive.
Antonelli leads the championship by 102 points and must win while Russell finishes ninth or lower to clinch it.

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