Ferrari had topped all three practice sessions and entered qualifying as favourites. Antonelli, however, delivered when it mattered most to secure the best possible starting position for Sunday’s race, where he could even clinch the world championship ahead of schedule.
Ferrari entered qualifying as favourites
Charles Leclerc had led both Friday practice sessions before Lewis Hamilton went fastest on Saturday. Ferrari appeared competitive following its recent technical upgrades.
Antonelli was considered a potential contender, but he had gone seven races without a pole position. He had finished only fourth in final practice, more than three tenths behind Hamilton. Beating both Ferrari drivers over a single lap was therefore far from a foregone conclusion.
The circuit’s numerous bumps and shifting winds added another challenge. Maintaining a stable car through the high-speed corners was particularly difficult, while exceeding track limits meant having lap times deleted.
Lando Norris initially set the pace in Q1 with a 1:35.029. Leclerc followed ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar, with Antonelli sixth. Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Alexander Albon and Cadillac drivers Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas were eliminated.
Leclerc takes control in Q2
The second session developed into a close contest between Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren. Verstappen initially went fastest with a 1:34.471. The Dutchman found a good rhythm despite the difficult conditions, while Norris and both Mercedes drivers began closing the gap.
Antonelli made particularly significant progress. His 1:34.278 put him almost two tenths ahead of Verstappen. Team-mate George Russell also found a good balance on his flying lap and moved into contention at the front.
Leclerc ultimately produced the decisive improvement. The Ferrari driver posted a 1:34.198, eight hundredths faster than Antonelli. Russell finished third, just 0.107 seconds off the pace.
Leclerc had confirmed the speed Ferrari had shown throughout practice. Mercedes, however, had substantially reduced the gap, leaving several drivers with a realistic chance of securing pole position in the final session.
Nico Hülkenberg’s qualifying ended in Q2. The Audi driver finished 12th, one place ahead of team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto. Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman were also eliminated.
Antonelli delivers when it matters in Q3
Russell opened the battle for pole with a 1:34.476, but Antonelli immediately responded, beating his team-mate by 0.441 seconds. His lap of 1:34.035 was also the fastest of the entire weekend.
The Italian had improved his Q2 time by another 0.243 seconds. While Ferrari struggled to build on its earlier performances, Antonelli found extra pace at precisely the right moment.
Verstappen closed to within 0.179 seconds with a 1:34.214. Hadjar provided another surprise, posting a 1:34.250 to claim third. The Frenchman had repeatedly complained about balance problems but produced an outstanding improvement of 0.637 seconds compared with Q2.
Nobody managed to beat Antonelli’s benchmark on the final runs. The Mercedes driver was unable to improve on his own time, but his first flying lap in Q3 had already proved sufficient. Verstappen also lost time on his final attempt and had to settle for second.
Ferrari fall short as Norris loses crucial lap time
Despite topping all three practice sessions, Ferrari had to settle for fourth and fifth on the grid. Leclerc recorded a 1:34.267, with Hamilton close behind on 1:34.311.
Leclerc, in particular, missed an opportunity. His Q2 benchmark would have been good enough for second place in the final session. Instead, he went slower in Q3 while Antonelli and both Red Bull drivers improved.
Russell qualified sixth in the second Mercedes. McLaren also endured a disappointing afternoon, with Oscar Piastri seventh and Norris only eighth. The British driver had his fastest Q3 lap deleted for exceeding track limits.
Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completed the top ten, although Lawson failed to register a lap time in Q3. Lindblad will drop five grid places for an additional engine change, while Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto also face grid penalties for exceeding their power-unit component allocations.
Antonelli has the world championship in his sights
Pole position has given Antonelli an opportunity to seal the world championship in Austin. To do so, the Italian must win Sunday’s race, with Russell finishing no higher than ninth and Hamilton no higher than fifth. Both of his closest championship rivals, however, will start from the top six.
The layout of the Circuit of the Americas could make the opening lap particularly eventful. The approximately 230-metre run to Turn 1 climbs steeply uphill before reaching a tight left-hander. Starting alongside Antonelli, Verstappen may attempt to take the lead under braking. The wide corner entry also gives drivers further back an opportunity to choose different lines.
Protecting the lead through the opening sequence of corners will therefore be crucial for Antonelli. Running in clean air is especially valuable through the rapid changes of direction in the first sector.
Austin also offers opportunities to overtake later in the race. The long back straight leading into Turn 12 is a particularly promising place to attack for drivers with strong straight-line speed. Ferrari and Red Bull will therefore have chances to challenge Mercedes even if they fail to gain positions at the start.
Antonelli has secured the strongest possible starting position, but Verstappen’s recent race-winning form and Ferrari’s impressive practice pace suggest that victory will be far from straightforward.
Starting grid for the United States Grand Prix
P1 Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
P2 Max Verstappen – Red Bull
P3 Isack Hadjar – Red Bull
P4 Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
P5 Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari
P6 George Russell – Mercedes
P7 Oscar Piastri – McLaren
P8 Lando Norris – McLaren
P9 Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls
P10 Pierre Gasly – Alpine
P11 Nico Hülkenberg – Audi
P12 Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
P13 Oliver Bearman – Haas
P14 Arvid Lindblad – Racing Bulls
P15 Esteban Ocon – Haas
P16 Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
P17 Carlos Sainz – Williams
P18 Alexander Albon – Williams
P19 Sergio Pérez – Cadillac
P20 Valtteri Bottas – Cadillac
P21 Franco Colapinto – Alpine
P22 Gabriel Bortoleto – Audi
