Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for Mercedes at the Miami Grand Prix, finishing four tenths ahead of teammate George Russell in fifth. Russell attributed his struggles to the low-grip track conditions. The 19-year-old championship leader holds a seven-point edge over the Briton heading into Sunday's race.
Antonelli secured his third consecutive grand prix pole on Saturday at the Miami International Autodrome, topping the session ahead of Russell. The Italian also outperformed his teammate in sprint qualifying, taking second while Russell finished sixth. A five-second penalty later dropped Antonelli to sixth in the sprint race, but he maintained the overall edge this weekend, as first reported by motorsport outlets covering the event. Russell explained his performance dip, saying, “I just made a mistake on my last corner, last lap, I was about three tenths up.” He noted the track's low grip, hot tarmac, and sliding conditions suit Antonelli better, adding, “Kimi was [sprint] pole last year, I was P5, today he's pole and I'm P5.” He compared it to Brazil 2025, where Antonelli was stronger, and contrasted it with high-grip venues like Saudi Arabia. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff offered a tennis analogy for Russell's challenges: “It's almost like a player that is good on clay and another one that is better on a hard surface.” Wolff praised Russell's progress in qualifying despite discomfort on the smooth asphalt. Antonelli enters Sunday's grand prix as the championship leader, seeking a third straight victory after triumphs marred by Russell's misfortune in recent rounds. Russell trails by seven points after winning the Melbourne opener from pole.
