Formula One racing sensation Kimi Antonelli made a mockery of suggestions that the Monaco Grand Prix would stall his incredible start to the season by producing a stunning qualifying lap to stick his Mercedes on pole position.
The qualifying battle lived up to expectations, with provisional pole changing hands several times before the 19-year-old championship leader snatched it with his final lap on Saturday. He edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.043 seconds to become the first Italian since Jarno Trulli in 2004 to take pole position in the principality.
“It was one of those laps that we call a magic lap. I was able to put it all together. It was such a close qualifying with Max,” Antonelli, who clocked 1:12.051 (1 minute and 12.051 seconds) to claim his fourth pole in six races this season, said.
“I knew the last lap was good; I was just hoping that it would be enough, but it was very close.”
Antonelli is the youngest driver to lead the championship, having won the last four races, but the unique nature of Monaco’s twisting circuit, full of slow corners, was supposed to take away the Mercedes power advantage.
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