Wonder boy unstoppable: Antonelli magically takes pole position in Monaco

Kimi Antonelli continues to amaze in his second year in Formula 1. The 19-year-old Italian took his fourth pole position in Monte Carlo for the sixth Grand Prix of this championship season.

"Magic" lap

In a thrilling qualifying session, the Mercedes shooting star came out on top with an impressive lap, just ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. At literally the last second, Antonelli pushed the four-time world champion off the top spot, preventing Verstappen's first pole position of the year. In the end, the two were separated by just 43 hundredths.

"It was one of those laps that you call magical. Everything just fell into place," said Antonelli with a big smile on his face after qualifying. The world championship leader can look forward to his fifth GP victory in a row on Sunday. His team-mate George Russell, who is first in the championship standings with 43 points, will start the race on Sunday (15:00) from 6th on the grid.

Ferrari cannot confirm its role as favorites

After dominant performances in the practice sessions, the Ferrari duo had to settle for the second row of the grid. Lewis Hamilton narrowly won the internal duel with local hero Charles Leclerc.

The two McLaren drivers also fell short of expectations. Oscar Piastri and world champion Lando Norris only finished 7th and 8th, more than half a second behind Antonelli.

The hunt for the best grid positions is even more important in Monaco than in other races, as overtaking is almost impossible on the narrow street circuit in the Principality. Nevertheless, only five of the last ten winners have started from pole position - but all of them in the last three years: Max Verstappen (2023), Charles Leclerc (2024) and Lando Norris (2025).