Rookie Antonelli, 18, youngest to take F1 pole

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the youngest driver to take a Formula 1 pole position for the sprint event at the Miami Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old beat McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, by 0.045 seconds. The second McLaren of Lando Norris was third ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Antonelli’s team-mate George Russell was fifth fastest, 0.309secs slower than the Italian rookie.

It was an outstanding performance from Antonelli, the first time he has beaten Russell in qualifying this season, and the first time he has shown a glimpse of the huge potential Mercedes believed they saw in him when they chose him to replace Lewis Hamilton for this year.

Antonelli has taken a steady approach to the start of his career but had looked sure-footed and accomplished from the start of practice and carried that form into qualifying.

“I am over the moon,” he said. “I did not expect it.

“I was feeling good in the car. I was able to improve lap by lap and find that consistency and that gap came all together. I am super happy with that. We will enjoy this moment but I want to focus on tomorrow because I really want to try to repeat myself.”

Antonelli embraced his father Marco in the Mercedes garage as the team celebrated his achievement wildly.

“It was really nice and also to find him in the garage after qualifying,” Antonelli added.

“I am super-happy to share this moment with him. It is so important to me, he is like a rock. I can always rely on him. I would like to share it with my mum and sister as well but hopefully next time.”

Starting the sprint from pole gives him a big opportunity to convert it into a first win, given the power of clear air in F1. (BBC)