Vettel's record broken: Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest pole sitter in F1 history at 2026 Chinese GP
Shanghai: Kimi Antonelli rewrote the Formula 1 record books on Saturday in Shanghai, becoming the youngest driver ever to claim pole position for a grand prix at 19 years, six months and 18 days old. The Mercedes driver posted a time of 1:32.064 to top qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, breaking a record that had stood since Sebastian Vettel's pole at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix. Antonelli is also the first Italian to take a grand prix pole since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009.
Russell's Q3 Drama Opens the Door
Antonelli's milestone came after teammate George Russell, the championship leader who had dominated the weekend up to that point, was struck by mechanical trouble at the start of Q3. Russell stopped on track on his out-lap, reporting over team radio that he could not shift gears. Mercedes managed to reset the car and fit a new steering wheel, allowing Russell to emerge from the garage with just two minutes remaining in the session.
Russell completed a single flying lap that was enough for second on the grid, 0.222 seconds behind Antonelli, securing another Mercedes front-row lockout. "It was as good as I could have achieved, but I had no battery to start my lap, and my tyres were cold," Russell told reporters afterwards. "I'm very grateful to be sitting here right now. It was more a case of getting a time on the board."
Ferrari Lock Out Row Two
Lewis Hamilton qualified third for Ferrari, narrowly ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc in fourth, with both drivers within four tenths of pole. Oscar Piastri took fifth for McLaren ahead of reigning world champion Lando Norris in sixth, after neither McLaren driver improved on their final Q3 runs. Pierre Gasly was the best of the rest in seventh for Alpine, beating both Red Bull drivers, with Max Verstappen eighth.
The result caps an impressive start to the 2026 season for Mercedes, which has locked out the front row at both races so far following its dominant 1-2 finish at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Antonelli had already become the youngest pole sitter in any F1 format when he topped sprint qualifying at last year's Miami Grand Prix.