Austin, United States, October 25, 2026: Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.179 seconds in a closely contested qualifying session at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Isack Hadjar completed the top three for Red Bull, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth respectively.

Antonelli clocked a fastest lap of 1:34.035 to claim his seventh pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Verstappen finished second with a 1:34.214, while Hadjar delivered an impressive performance to secure third in 1:34.250. The top five were separated by just 0.276 seconds, underlining the intensity of the battle for pole.

Mercedes team-mate George Russell qualified sixth, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in seventh and Lando Norris in eighth. Racing Bulls drivers Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson completed the top 10.

Norris Leads Q1 as Six Drivers Are Eliminated

Charles Leclerc set the initial benchmark in Q1 with a lap of 1:35.200 before McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moved into third on Medium tyres. Norris subsequently took the lead on Softs, with Antonelli and Russell also improving on Piastri’s time.

Red Bull remained close to the front, while Audi showed encouraging pace as Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto briefly broke into the top 10 alongside Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.

Pierre Gasly faced early pressure after his opening lap was deleted for exceeding track limits. However, both Gasly and Alpine team-mate Franco Colapinto improved their positions as the session progressed.

Norris eventually topped Q1 with a lap 0.171 seconds faster than Leclerc. Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Alexander Albon, Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas were eliminated at the end of the opening segment.

Verstappen Sets the Pace in Q2

Verstappen opened Q2 with a 1:34.471 to move ahead of Norris and establish an early benchmark. Piastri, meanwhile, initially found himself down in 10th and under pressure to secure a place in the final qualifying segment.

Leclerc moved to the top of the timesheets in the closing stages, ahead of Antonelli and Russell, as the leading drivers completed their final attempts.

Verstappen progressed to Q3 alongside McLaren’s Piastri and Norris, Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton, Mercedes’ Antonelli and Russell, Red Bull’s Hadjar, and Racing Bulls drivers Lindblad and Lawson.

Lindblad produced a crucial late improvement to secure his place in the top 10, leaving Gasly just 0.022 seconds short of advancing. Hülkenberg, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman were also eliminated. Bearman’s final lap was deleted for a track-limits infringement.

Antonelli Holds Off Verstappen in the Fight for Pole

Russell set the initial pace in Q3 with a 1:34.476, but Antonelli responded with a stunning 1:34.035 to take provisional pole by approximately four-tenths of a second.

Verstappen, Hadjar and Leclerc followed, with Hamilton initially settling for sixth. Verstappen reported that a lack of grip was making his Red Bull difficult to drive, leaving the Dutchman 0.179 seconds behind Antonelli after the first runs.

The final attempts were expected to produce further improvements, but Antonelli’s benchmark proved unbeatable. Racing Bulls opted against sending Lindblad and Lawson out for another run, leaving them ninth and 10th respectively.

The remaining eight drivers returned to the circuit for their final flying laps, but none managed to dislodge Antonelli from the top spot. The Mercedes driver abandoned his second flying lap after doing enough to secure pole position.

Verstappen held on to second, while Hadjar completed a strong qualifying performance in third. Leclerc and Hamilton secured the second row for Ferrari, with Russell finishing sixth.

Piastri qualified seventh, while Norris dropped to eighth after his final lap was deleted for exceeding track limits. Lindblad and Lawson rounded out the top 10.

Antonelli Targets a Strong Start in the US GP

Reflecting on his pole-winning performance, Antonelli acknowledged the challenge posed by Red Bull and the unpredictable conditions during Q3.

“Max has been very quick, and also Isack did an incredible job in Qualifying,” said Antonelli.

“It’s not going to be easy but we’ll try to get a good start and hopefully lead into Turn 1, and then we’ll try to set the pace, even though it’s going to be very tight.”

The Mercedes driver added that gusty winds made the final qualifying segment particularly challenging.

“I’m very happy with Qualifying today – Q3 was very tough with the wind, very gusty and unpredictable. I’m happy that we stuck it on pole.”

With Verstappen starting alongside him on the front row and Hadjar in third, Antonelli will face immediate pressure at the start of the United States Grand Prix. Leclerc and Hamilton will also be looking to capitalise from the second row as the battle for victory unfolds at COTA.

2026 F1 United States Grand Prix Qualifying Results