Published June 7, 2026
F1 racing sensation Kimi Antonelli has scoffed at suggestions that the Monaco Grand Prix will slow his excellent start to the season, producing a brilliant qualifying lap to keep his Mercedes in pole position.
The qualifying battle lived up to expectations, with the 19-year-old championship leader taking provisional pole on Saturday’s final lap after the spot changed hands several times.
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He beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.043 seconds, becoming the first Italian to take pole position in the principality since Jarno Trulli in 2004.
“It was one of those so-called magic laps. I was able to put everything together. Qualifying with Max was a close battle,” said Antonelli, who recorded a time of 1 minute 12.051 seconds to take his fourth pole position in six races this season.
“I knew the last lap was good and I thought that was enough, but it was close.”
Antonelli has won the last four races and is the youngest driver to lead the championship, but the unique nature of Monaco’s winding circuit, with its many slow corners, was supposed to take away Mercedes’ power advantage.
A pair of Ferraris in the second row
Ferrari were tipped to be favorites to win the race but had to be content with second row on Sunday’s grid, with Lewis Hamilton third, 0.228 seconds behind, and 2024 race winner and local favorite Charles Leclerc fourth.
Leclerc had taken provisional pole position in Q3 (the third and final session of qualifying) with a time up, but when he got stuck in the wall on the final lap, he clipped the wall and stopped his car at Rascasse.
Ferrari dominated Friday’s two free practices, with Hamilton and Leclerc first and second in both, but Antonelli was fastest in Saturday’s final practice.
“Congratulations, Kimi. Wow, great job. It’s very special to get your first pole position here,” said Hamilton, who has won at Monaco three times but is yet to win a race for Ferrari.
“It was tough for us. We looked very strong in practice and didn’t change much, but for some reason when we got into qualifying the car was dramatically different.”
Isaac Hajjar, in the second Oracle Red Bull, recovered from a bad crash in Friday’s practice to qualify fifth, but Antonelli’s teammate George Russell was 43 points behind in the standings, finishing a disappointing sixth.
Reigning world champion and last year’s Monaco winner Lando Norris was seated on the fourth row alongside fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, with the team’s hopes of winning its 1,000th Grand Prix now doomed.
“The walls are starting to get closer”
Antonelli finished last in 18th place at the Monaco Grand Prix 12 months ago and was expected to feel the pressure of leading the rankings upon his return.
But he now has a great chance to continue his dream start to the season by emulating Trulli, who turned pole position into victory with Renault in 2004.
“I think this is one of the most intensive qualifying sessions this year, if not the most intensive. It takes a lot of effort,” he said. “When it comes to finding the last two-tenths, it’s not easy because the walls are closing in.
“But I felt really good this morning, so I’m glad to be able to finish work today.”
Of the past 22 Monaco Grand Prix races, only six have been won by drivers who did not start from pole position. Overtaking is extremely difficult on the narrow, winding circuit that winds through a beautiful Mediterranean playing field.
The last three editions have all been won by the top qualifying driver, but with Hamilton winning from third on the grid in 2016 and Verstappen showing great speed here this year, Antonelli won’t be taking anything for granted.
“If you had told me yesterday to be in the front row, I would have taken it,” Verstappen said.
