Kimi Antonelli produced a stunning performance in Shanghai to take pole position for the Grand Prix, becoming the youngest-ever pole sitter at just 19 years old.
The qualifying session was dramatic from the start, with track temperatures soaring from 14°C during the Sprint to 32°C for Qualifying, challenging tyre management and grip.
Q1 Drama
The first segment saw no real surprises as Williams, Aston Martin, and Cadillac lost both cars. Nico Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on advancing, while Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, and Valtteri Bottas were eliminated alongside Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez.
Q2 Tensions
Q2 was tighter. Russell and Antonelli were quick on soft tyres, but several drivers, including Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon, and Lawson, missed out due to incidents and spins. Gasly and Bearman secured the final top-10 spots, continuing their impressive run from the Sprint earlier in the day.
🟡 YELLOW FLAG 🟡
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2026
Gabi Bortoleto is in the gravel at the final corner, but he gets going and returns to the pits! 😮💨#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/kDYVbKyU8v
Q3 Drama and Antonelli’s Breakthrough
Q3 started with a scare for Russell, who reported car issues and briefly drove slowly on track. Meanwhile, Antonelli set a benchmark lap early, improving to 1:32.064, and despite challenges from Ferrari and McLaren, nobody could beat him. Russell managed only a personal best on his sectors but could not challenge the teenage Mercedes driver.
The Rest of the Top 10
Mercedes secured the front row, with Kimi Antonelli on pole and Russell alongside. Ferrari claimed the second row, while McLaren locked out the third, with Oscar Piastri just half a tenth ahead of Lando Norris.
Pierre Gasly impressed to take seventh, ahead of both Red Bull drivers, with Max Verstappen 0.119s ahead of Isack Hadjar. Oliver Bearman rounded out the top 10 for Haas, continuing the trend of strong midfield performances.
What This Means
Antonelli’s pole marks his first Grand Prix qualifying top spot, following a Sprint pole last year in Miami. He will start tomorrow’s race from the front row, with Russell alongside him. The youngster’s composure under pressure highlights a new star emerging in Formula 1, while Mercedes showed strong pace despite Russell’s earlier car issues.
This sets the stage for an exciting Grand Prix, with Antonelli looking to convert pole into a potential race victory.
