Kimi Antonelli says it's just the beginning after taking maiden Formula 1 pole position in Shanghai
F1 NewsSaturday, 14 March 2026 at 11:56
Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli said it was just the beginning after he set a pole record in China on Saturday with Mercedes predecessor and seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton lavishing praise on him.
At 19 years, six months and 17 days Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 driver ever to take pole position for a full grand prix.
"A great record. It's going to take a while for someone to ever get close to that one," Ferrari driver Hamilton, whose seat Antonelli took in 2025, told a news conference after qualifying third.
The previous record was set by now-retired German driver Sebastian Vettel when he put Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) on pole at the age of 21 and 72 days at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.
Big question marks hung over Antonelli when he arrived at Mercedes as a rookie alongside George Russell, the current Championship leader, after Hamilton shocked the sport by moving to rivals Ferrari.
Pundits questioned whether the then-18-year-old could live up to Hamilton's legacy, even as Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff consistently touted the Italian as a top-tier talent.
"He took my seat! And he hit it hard from the get-go, so it's really great to see him progressing and he really deserves it," a beaming Hamilton said while sat next to Antonelli.
A lot more to come
The Italian was his country's first polesitter since Giancarlo Fisichella for Mercedes-powered Force India, the team that is now Aston Martin, in Belgium in 2009.
"I’m very happy because at the end, you know, it’s just the beginning," said Antonelli, who had a sprint pole in Miami last year but has yet to win a race.
He added: "Obviously there’s a lot more to come. And, yeah, really looking forward to tomorrow ... the car is feeling really good, the car is strong so, yeah, a lot to play for tomorrow."
Antonelli was helped by Russell having no battery and getting stuck in gear at the start of the final phase and then getting only one flying lap for pole, which he converted into second place on the grid.
"Many said the kid was too young to be in a Mercedes, we should have prepared him otherwise. He did good today," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.
"It's a shame that George couldn't do the lap," the Austrian lamented. (Reporting by Joe Cash/Alan Baldwin)
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