Andrea Kimi Antonelli took pole position to Grande Prêmio from Miami on Saturday afternoon. The Italian Mercedes driver recorded a time of 1m27s798 in the final phase of the classification. Ele surpassed Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, who complete the first positions on the grid for Sunday’s race. The result marks the championship leader’s third pole of the 2026 Fórmula 1 season.
The qualifying session presented a sharp contrast for the new generation drivers. Enquanto Antonelli celebrated the top of the table, the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto faced severe difficulties with the McLaren equipment. Problemas in the braking system prevented the driver from recording competitive times. Ele will start the race in 22nd place, closing the pack on Circuito Internacional and Miami.
Mercedes reacts after discrete start in Estados Unidos
The German team’s performance surprised their opponents after a below-expected start to the weekend. Durante the only free training, Mercedes did not feature among the fastest times, seeing Ferrari of Leclerc dominate the initial actions. However, the fine-tuning carried out before qualifying allowed Antonelli to get the most out of the car. The Italian driver demonstrated precision in the low-speed corners of sector two.
The young driver’s confidence grew throughout Saturday’s qualifiers. Ele led Q2 comfortably and maintained the necessary pace to hold off pressure from Red Bull in the final moments of the clock. Max Verstappen tried to reduce the gap on the last lap, but made a small mistake at the exit of turn 17. Charles Leclerc started in third, consolidating the evolution of the Italian team on street circuits.
Falha mechanics compromise Gabriel Bortoleto’s weekend
Para the Brazilian representative, the journey in Miami changed tone drastically during the afternoon. Após a 14th place in free practice, Bortoleto expected to fight for a place in Q3. Entretanto, your car’s braking system developed severe overheating in the first few minutes of the session. Broadcast cameras recorded flames coming from the McLaren’s front wheels as the driver returned to the pits for emergency repairs.
- Freios front wheels caught fire during the first hot lap attempt
- Mecânicos tried to replace components in record time in the pits
- Piloto was unable to return to the track to set a safe time in Q1
- Desclassificação preview in the sprint race had already damaged the track pace
- Estratégia for Sunday should focus on late stops to recover positions
McLaren’s technical team has confirmed it will investigate the exact cause of the brake fire. Bortoleto expressed frustration via radio, as the incident occurred at a time when the track was evolving. Sem time recorded in Q1, the Brazilian now depends on an aggressive recovery run on a track where overtaking is considered challenging outside the DRS zones.
Championship Liderança and 2026 season look back
Andrea Kimi Antonelli extends his psychological advantage in the points table with this result on American soil. The Italian has already won two victories this year and shows unusual maturity for his age when dealing with pressure from Verstappen. Miami became a favorable stage for Mercedes, which seeks to regain hegemony in the world of constructors. Lando Norris’s victory in the sprint race hours earlier served as a warning about the unpredictability of Flórida’s asphalt.
The starting grid for the Miami GP reflects the current technological balance of the category. The top six placed are separated by less than half a second, which projects a high strategic intensity race. The track temperature, which is expected to exceed 45°C on Sunday, will be the main challenge for tire management for the leaders. Antonelli starts with the advantage of the clean side of the track, a crucial factor in defending the position in the first corner against the aggressiveness of Verstappen.