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Antonelli Claims US GP Pole Position in Austin

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli Claims Pole Position in Austin as Ferrari Struggles

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his seventh pole position of the season with a lap time of 1:34.035 at the Circuit of the Americas, positioning himself to potentially claim the Formula 1 world championship in the United States while avoiding errors in challenging windy conditions.

Excess Power Units Trigger Back-Of-The-Grid Penalties

  • Engine Component Penalties: Exceeding the regulatory limit of four power units per season—as experienced by Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto—triggers mandatory back-of-the-grid starting penalties regardless of qualifying performance.

The Front-Row Battle and Qualifying Dynamics in Texas

Sport.cz reported that Antonelli drove through gusty winds in the final qualifying segment to maintain his championship lead. Alongside him on the front row will be Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who qualified 0.179 seconds behind. Verstappen noted that while his vehicle balance felt strong in the first two sessions, he lost rear grip and experienced severe bouncing over track bumps in Q3 due to a tailwind.

Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar captured third position, finishing 0.215 seconds off the pace. Auto.cz noted that Hadjar expressed regret over losing time in turns 13 and 15 due to strong tailwinds, though he remained satisfied with recovering to third after struggling with car setup during final practice sessions. Meanwhile, Nova.cz detailed how Lando Norris of McLaren temporarily held strong positions before having his fastest lap deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping him to the eighth starting spot.

Ferrari Performance Deficits and Midfield Shuffles

Despite topping all practice sessions ahead of qualifying, Ferrari experienced a setback in the competitive sessions. Charles Leclerc secured fourth place with a deficit of 0.232 seconds, while teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, 0.276 seconds behind the benchmark time. Mercedes driver George Russell followed in sixth position.

The top ten grid positions featured entries from five distinct constructors. Racing Bulls utilized tire-preservation strategies, with Liam Lawson opting out of setting a time in Q3 to save fresh rubber for the race, securing tenth place, while teammate Arvid Lindblad qualified ninth. Nova.cz highlighted that both Cadillac entries, driven by Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez, were eliminated in the opening qualifying phase alongside Esteban Ocon of Haas.

Antonelli Seeks Inaugural World Title in Sunday Race

Antonelli enters Sunday’s Grand Prix with an opportunity to secure his inaugural world title, though victory depends on race outcomes beyond merely securing pole position. Verstappen aims to capitalize on his recent momentum, having won in Singapore and Malaysia, alongside a strong showing in Baku. The 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship schedule continues through December 6 in Abu Dhabi.

More on US GP: Red Bull's US GP Livery & Fornaroli's 2027 McLaren WEC Seat · F1 Driver Liam Lawson to Perform Live Country Concert at US GP · Lando Norris Jokes He Will Avoid Media at US GP on Oct 19, 2026

References

  • Sport.cz: Kvalifikaci v Austinu ovládl Antonelli. Jezdci Ferrari po úspěších v trénincích selhali
  • Auto.cz: Není to to, co jsem chtěl a čekal, ale druhé místo beru
  • TN.cz: Antonelli se přiblížil k šanci slavit titul. V USA vyjede z pole position
  • News.gp: Hamilton zvítězil v posledním tréninku v Austinu a potvrdil dobrou formu Ferrari před kvalifikací

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Priya Deshmukh - Senior Editor, Health

Priya Deshmukh Senior Editor, Health Deshmukh is a practicing physician and renowned medical journalist, honored for her investigative reporting on public health. She is dedicated to delivering accurate, evidence-based coverage on health, wellness, and medical innovations.

Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for US Grand Prix in Austin