Kimi Antonelli's pole at COTA puts him on the brink of a record‑breaking title.
On 24 October 2026 the Circuit of the Americas delivered a dramatic qualifying session that reshaped the 2026 Formula One championship picture. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes stunned the grid by posting a lap of 1:34.035, edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.179 seconds.
The 20-year-old Italian now starts from pole for the United States Grand Prix and, if he wins on Sunday, can seal the world title with 150 points still available.
Qualifying at COTA: Antonelli’s pole lap and the midfield battle
The final session, which concluded at 19:53 BST, was plagued by gusty conditions that hampered several drivers. Antonelli’s clean run capitalised on a strong middle sector and a well-timed use of the tailwind on the back straight, allowing him to stay ahead of Verstappen and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, who completed the podium in third.
The time gaps were razor-thin: Verstappen finished +0.179 s, Hadjar +0.215 s, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and former champion Lewis Hamilton took fourth and fifth respectively.
Behind the front-row, George Russell qualified sixth, just 0.441 s off the pace, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occupied seventh and eighth. The Racing Bulls duo, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, filled the ninth and tenth slots, highlighting a tight midfield where tyre strategy and wind direction proved decisive.
Championship stakes: How the race could hand Antonelli the title
Entering the weekend, Antonelli leads the drivers’ standings by a 102-point margin. With only 150 points remaining, a victory in Austin would automatically crown him champion provided his closest rivals finish outside the required positions: Mercedes teammate Russell must finish ninth or lower, and Hamilton must be fifth or lower. Both conditions are already satisfied—Hamilton is fifth and Russell is sixth—so the title hinges on Antonelli’s race performance.
Speaking after his pole, the young Italian said, “I just need to keep doing my job.” He added that a supportive crew and evening card games with friends help him stay relaxed: “I have a great group of people around me and a lot of friends with me.” The calm confidence contrasts with the pressure that has been mounting on Ferrari and Mercedes throughout the season.
Ferrari’s struggle and other front-runners’ reactions
Ferrari, which had dominated the three practice sessions, faltered in the decisive Q3. Leclerc explained the loss of pace: “We lost one or two degrees of track temperature and, for us, it was night and day different.” He lamented that the issue arose in the final segment, insisting the team possessed the speed to fight at the front. Hamilton, after qualifying fifth, acknowledged Ferrari’s resurgence but noted the Red Bull and Mercedes packages still held a straight-line advantage: “Those guys just took another step.”
Red Bull’s champion Verstappen admitted a disappointing Q3 run, saying, “Q3 was not good… I didn’t have a good balance.” Nevertheless, his second-place start keeps him in contention for the race win. Meanwhile, Hadjar, who had hoped for pole, expressed satisfaction with third place despite a difficult weekend: “I’m happy with P3 because it’s been incredibly hard.”
Russell, who finished sixth, was blunt about his performance: “It isn’t good enough from my side.” He hinted that strategic decisions during the 56-lap race could still shape the championship outcome. As the paddock prepares for the Sunday showdown, the blend of youthful ambition, veteran experience, and team dynamics promises a thrilling finale at the Circuit of the Americas.
