Kimi Antonelli will start the 2026 United States Grand Prix from pole position after producing another exceptional qualifying performance with the updated Mercedes W17. Although Mercedes has continued to struggle to extract the car’s full potential from its latest aerodynamic package, the Italian delivered when it mattered most and now wants to reach Turn 1 in the lead before trying to control the race from clean air.
It had been difficult to predict a pole position for Kimi Antonelli given the uncertainty surrounding the latest specification of the W17. Yet the championship leader once again produced an outstanding performance with remarkable ease, providing tangible evidence that Mercedes’ decision to commit to the new aerodynamic configuration has paid off. It represents another major moment in Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable 2026 campaign.
The explosion of celebration inside the Mercedes garage after Kimi Antonelli secured his seventh pole position of the season also revealed just how much uncertainty had surrounded the team beforehand. His almost perfect lap on the opening run of Q3 felt like a release after Mercedes had spent so much time trying to understand a technical package that has proved more complicated to optimise than initially expected.
Kimi Antonelli puts the upgraded Mercedes W17 on pole
Mercedes has continued working to understand the latest version of the Mercedes W17, but Kimi Antonelli was able to put the car at the front of the grid when the pressure increased in Q3.
“Max was very fast and also did an incredible job in qualifying,” Kimi Antonelli began. “I hope to be leading at Turn 1 so that we can impose our pace, because it is going to be a very closely fought race. I’m very happy with this pole position.”
The Mercedes driver also highlighted how difficult the final part of qualifying had been as unpredictable wind affected the drivers during their flying laps.
“Q3 was very tough because there were some very strong and unpredictable gusts of wind, but I’m happy that I managed to put the car at the front. The team did a great job and hopefully we can do well tomorrow too.”
Track limits and gusty wind made Q3 especially difficult
Asked what the main problem had been during the session, Kimi Antonelli pointed to track limits and the importance of preserving the tyres throughout the lap.
“I saw several drivers going beyond the track limits, and keeping the tyres in good condition until the end of the lap was fundamental.”
Managing those track limits was particularly important for Kimi Antonelli given the difficulties he had experienced in recent races.
“Well, one of the key aspects was precisely avoiding exceeding the track limits, which is a great result for me because in the last few races I have committed several infringements of this kind at decisive moments, putting myself in a difficult position and creating more pressure for myself. Today, however, I managed to complete a clean lap.”
The conditions became increasingly challenging as the wind strengthened. Kimi Antonelli revealed that his final attempt had been developing positively before a gust caused him to lose control of the Mercedes.
“The conditions were really tricky, especially when it came to putting the lap together, also because the wind became stronger. It’s a shame because I was going very well on the final run, but a gust made me lose control of the car. It was a complicated challenge for everyone, but I’m very satisfied with the result. A big thank you goes to the team, which continues to work constantly on this package; now we will try to finish the job tomorrow.”
Kimi Antonelli focuses on Max Verstappen and a clean-air start
The Formula 1 title remains Kimi Antonelli’s ultimate objective, although clinching it in Austin will not depend entirely on his own result. His championship position can be followed through the latest Formula 1 driver standings. For the moment, however, his immediate focus is the fight with Max Verstappen and converting pole position into control of the race.
The importance of the opening corner is particularly clear at the Circuit of The Americas, where the steep climb towards Turn 1 creates one of the defining moments of the start. A complete overview of the weekend is available in the 2026 United States Grand Prix and COTA guide.
Asked how difficult the battle with Max Verstappen would be, Kimi Antonelli acknowledged the strong race pace Red Bull had shown over the longer runs.
“It will be tough. As I already said, Max showed really solid race pace in the long runs. We weren’t bad at all, quite the opposite, but the situation remains complex. We will try to give it everything, aiming for a good start so that we can reach the first corner in the lead and, from there, impose our pace. The plan is clear: to be able to race in clean air.”
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