Kimi Antonelli savors his first F1 pole: “This is just the beginning”

Written by Sonia Romero
Kimi Antonelli savors his first F1 pole: “This is just the beginning”

Kimi Antonelli secured his first pole position, also becoming the youngest pole-setter in F1 history by breaking Sebastian Vettel's previous record.

At just 19 years old, Kimi Antonelli secured the first pole position of his Formula 1 career in Shanghai, becoming the youngest pole-setter in the sport's history in the process. It was a remarkable achievement for the Mercedes driver, who praised a clean and controlled session.

“It was a pretty clean session, so I'm really very happy,” the Italian explained after qualifying. “Of course, George had a problem in Q3, so the story might have been different, but I'm happy with the lap I set and very happy to start from pole for the first time. ” A controlled qualifying session Antonelli explained that he gradually found his rhythm as the session progressed, despite a car balance that was sometimes tricky. “I managed to find a good rhythm. I struggled a bit with the balance during qualifying, but for the first time I managed to improve my time with every lap.”

This steady improvement allowed him to break the record for the youngest driver to achieve this feat, previously held by Sebastian Vettel. But the young driver prefers to keep things in perspective. “I'm very happy, but in the end, this is just the beginning. There's still a lot to come.” Tire Management at the Heart of the Race
While pole position is secured, Antonelli knows the race will be far from easy. Tire management could play a key role at the Shanghai circuit. “Graining will be a major factor. It will be colder tomorrow, so it could be even worse. We'll especially need to keep an eye on the front left.” The Italian also knows the start will be crucial.

“Above all, I'll need to get off to a good start, because that hasn't been my strong suit so far.” Facing the Ferraris, known for their strong starts, pole position guarantees nothing. “They seem very strong, especially on cold tires. So I'll try to get a clean start and we'll see what happens from there.”