Kimi Antonelli makes F1 history with record-breaking pole as Mercedes dominates in China

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history at the Chinese Grand Prix, out-qualifying Mercedes teammate George Russel. Russel secured second on the grid with a late flying lap after an earlier car issue hampered him in Q3.

The19-year-old qualified 0.222 seconds faster than championship-leading teammate George Russel, who secured a Mercedes front-row lockout despite earlier car trouble. While Antonelli was already the youngest pole-sitter in any format after leading qualifying for last year’s Miami sprint, in Shanghai on Saturday he demolished the Grand Prix record Sebastian Vettel as a 21-year-old in 2008.

In this connection, Russel said: “In Q2, the front wing broke, we were wrapping our heads around that. Then obviously went out in Q3, the car stopped on track, the car wasn't restarting and couldn't change gear.”

“Starting the last lap, I had no battery, no tyre temp, no nothing. But the team has done a really great job to get us into this position, it could have been much worse.” he added.

Russel, who remarkably won Saturday’s Sprint, was only able to set one flying lap in the final segment of qualifying after a car issue briefly brought him to a halt on track.

The Briton recovered to the pits while stuck in first gear, and the problem was rectified. Nonetheless, Ferrari locked out the second row, Lewis Hamilton finishing fractionally ahead of Charles Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri unqualified his McLaren teammate and reigning World Champion, Lando Norris.