Kimi Antonelli produced a commanding qualifying performance to take pole position for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, edging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen into second place.
The Mercedes driver’s lap was timed to perfection and gives him the best possible starting position to attempt to close out his first world championship this weekend. Antonelli enters the race with a 102-point advantage over his nearest competitor, George Russell.
To be crowned champion after Sunday’s race, Antonelli must stretch that lead to 125 points, a margin that would make it mathematically impossible for rivals to overhaul him. The pole puts him in a favourable position, but the outcome will still depend on the race and how other contenders perform.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar will start third, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were fourth and fifth respectively. Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate Russell qualified sixth, leaving a tightly packed front of the grid for the race.
Sunday’s Grand Prix will determine whether Antonelli can convert his qualifying advantage into the points margin required to seal the title, with teams and drivers set to battle across the full race distance for position and prize points.