Andrea Kimi Antonelli made Formula 1 history during the 2025 Miami Grand Prix weekend, securing pole position in the Sprint Qualifying session and becoming the youngest Italian driver — and the youngest driver overall — to start at the front in an official F1 session.
A historic record for Italy and Formula 1
With a perfect lap of 1:26.482, Kimi Antonelli edged out Oscar Piastri by just 0.045 seconds, also beating Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. The young talent surpassed the previous record set by Sebastian Vettel, who claimed pole in Monza in 2008 at the age of 21 years and 72 days.
Antonelli’s pole was earned in the Sprint Qualifying session, which is not officially counted in F1’s pole position statistics. The driver from Bologna still has time to break Sebastian Vettel’s official record, and this milestone offers plenty of hope for Italy.
Who is Kimi Antonelli, really?
Born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Kimi Antonelli has been part of the Mercedes junior program since 2019. After dominating in Formula 4 and Formula Regional, he was chosen by the German team to replace Lewis Hamilton starting in the 2025 season. He has already impressed in his F1 debut: P4 in Australia after a spectacular comeback and P6 in China despite floor damage to his car.
A predestined start
The young Italian has already broken several records: youngest driver to score points in F1, youngest to lead a race, and now youngest to take pole. His talent and composure are impressing the entire paddock, including Toto Wolff and Jenson Button, who have praised his calmness and determination.
A bright future for Italian F1
With this pole position, Kimi Antonelli has reignited the passion of Italian fans, who hadn’t seen a tricolour driver start from pole since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009. His name is already etched in the sport’s history, but the future promises even greater achievements. His career has only just begun, but it’s already clear that we might be witnessing the rise of a new world champion made in Italy.
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