Former F1 world champion Jenson Button mentioned Kimi Antonelli had blown his thoughts after he took an “unbelievable” pole for the Miami Grand Prix Dash.
In simply his sixth F1 occasion, Antonelli snatched pole from the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and could have the chance to transform a maiden pole into Dash victory when the lights exit in Miami on Saturday at 5pm, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1.
At 18 years and 250 days, Antonelli has smashed Sebastian Vettel’s earlier file of the youngest pole-sitter in F1 which the latter did as a 21-year-old.
“He’s been fast but just behind George [Russell]. I didn’t expect that. That was unbelievable. To put it on pole position for the Sprint is a special moment in his time,” mentioned 2009 F1 world champion Button.
“We noticed him with the incident in Monza [when he crashed] and that is what I considered Kimi Antonelli – unbelievably fast however on the sting.
“However this season he is been utterly totally different to that driver. He is calm, collected, going about his enterprise, slowly progressing, at all times there as effectively, getting factors in each race.
“That’s not what you do as a new driver. His consistency has blown my mind but he’s gone ‘boom’ and given us the speed as well.”
Antonelli, who changed Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this 12 months, is the third youngest F1 driver ever, solely behind Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.
Sky Sports activities F1‘s Martin Brundle has beforehand mentioned Mercedes have “another star on their hands” and was additionally in awe of {the teenager}.
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Dash Qualifying highlights of the Miami Grand Prix from the Miami Worldwide Autodrome
“Tremendous. What an effort from such a young driver,” mentioned Brundle.
“He has no experience of Miami other than on the simulator and has gone out and smashed a lap in. That’s an outstanding effort.
“Mercedes noticed him a few years in the past, they nurtured him, they cared for him, protected him when he smashed the automotive to bits in Monza in apply and right here he’s delivering for them. That is sensational.”
Davidson: Monza crash was good in some ways
Antonelli made his Mercedes debut throughout first apply eventually 12 months’s Italian Grand Prix however crashed within the early phases of the session, a day earlier than the workforce introduced that they had chosen him for 2025.
Sky Sports activities F1‘s Anthony Davidson, who’s a simulator driver for Mercedes, believes the Monza crash truly benefitted Antonelli.
“Everyone in the team was excited in Kimi’s potential and it shows the team knows what they are looking at for future drivers,” he mentioned.
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Antonelli misplaced management of his Mercedes on his apply debut on the Italian Grand Prix final 12 months
“Remember, George Russell is a product of their young driver programme as well. It was a difficult process to go through to fill the legend of Lewis Hamilton, who had been with the team for so long.
“I really feel just like the workforce are actually nurturing him. He is within the highlight in an enormous workforce, proper on the sharp finish and that is not straightforward, so that you want plenty of assist from the workforce.
“Yes he had a moment in Monza, but I think that was good in many ways, because it showed what could happen if you were left at your own devices and the team reacted really well after that one.”
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Lewis Hamilton shared a healthful change with Antonelli, saying how blissful he’s for the Mercedes rookie
Antonelli: I’ve received extra assured each weekend
Antonelli is sixth within the F1 Drivers’ Championship, 35 factors behind Mercedes team-mate Russell who has been extraordinarily sturdy to this point this season.
He was the one rookie to not crash at a moist season-opener in Australia, the place he stormed up from sixteenth to fourth, and bagged extra factors and was near Russell in China, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
“Every weekend I learn massively. Last week, having a break [after Jeddah] really helped me to gather information and process it all and recharging the batteries, it was really good,” mentioned Antonelli.
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Watch footage of Antonelli’s brave late transfer on Alex Albon to maneuver into P4 on the Australian Grand Prix
“The whole qualifying I felt I was able to make a step lap by lap. I’m much more aware of how to do a consistent warm-up and extract more out of the tyres but there’s a lot to improve.
“Each weekend I get extra assured with the automotive, can play with it extra and discover the bounds. On the identical time, I can perceive extra from the set-up and provides significantly better suggestions which permits the workforce to enhance the automotive.”
Antonelli can not beat Verstappen’s file of being the youngest F1 race winner ever, as he would have wanted to win one of many opening three occasions to beat the Dutchman.
Nonetheless, Antonelli can additional impress if he can maintain off the McLarens within the Dash.
“I will enjoy this moment but focus on Saturday because it would be good to repeat that result,” he added.
“McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull have strong race pace but we are pretty close. It will be important to have a good start, then set a good pace without degrading [the tyres] too much.”
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Watch as Antonelli has his say on a spread of hilarious eventualities by ranking them with totally different racing flags
Sky Sports activities F1’s Miami GP schedule
Saturday Might 3
- 3.20pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
- 4pm: MIAMI GP SPRINT (race begins at 5pm)
- 6.30pm: Ted’s Dash Pocket book
- 7.50pm: F1 Academy Race 1
- 8.35pm: Miami GP Qualifying build-up*
- 9pm: MIAMI GP QUALIFYING*
- 11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*
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Look again at among the most dramatic moments to have taken place across the Miami Worldwide Autodrome
Sunday Might 4
- 6pm: F1 Academy Race 2
- 7.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP build-up*
- 9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX*
- 11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP response*
- Midnight: Ted’s Pocket book
*additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities Predominant Occasion
System 1 is in Miami for a Dash weekend, watch all of it dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
