Kimi Antonelli produced a late “magic lap” to take pole at the Monaco Grand Prix by 0.043 of a second, holding off Max Verstappen and ensuring Mercedes stayed perfect on qualifying on pole this season.
MONACO — Kimi Antonelli set the pit lane buzzing in the closing moments of qualifying. and when the numbers came up. it was the kind of margin that turns a single lap into a headline. Antonelli took pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix by just 0.043 of a second. edging out the closest pressure from Max Verstappen of Red Bull and holding off Ferrari and Red Bull to maintain Mercedes’ dominance.
It wasn’t just speed—it was timing, nerve, and precision on a circuit where passing is barely an option. Monaco’s narrow. twisty streets make qualifying feel like a race of its own. and Antonelli delivered when it mattered most. He described it plainly: “It was one of those laps that we call a magic lap. I was able to put it all together.”.
The result put Mercedes on the front row in a way it hasn’t been tested on all season. Antonelli’s pole also extended Mercedes’ run of qualifying on pole for every grand prix this season. Verstappen’s challenge didn’t collapse the dream. but it kept the tension alive right up to the final assessment of the times.
Lewis Hamilton finished third for Ferrari, while Antonelli’s teammate and title rival George Russell could only manage sixth. That contrast—Antonelli on pole, Russell outside the front row—adds bite to the weekend for Mercedes’ championship picture.
Antonelli goes into Sunday as the favorite for a fifth grand prix win in a row. Only Verstappen and Hamilton have reached that mark among current drivers. and Mercedes will be looking to keep its momentum rolling after winning every grand prix so far this season. The only crack in the story. at least in terms of a Saturday-to-Sunday routine. is McLaren: Lando Norris won one sprint race in Miami.
The championship subplot also comes with its own bruises. Antonelli leads by 43 points from Russell after their tense wheel-to-wheel battle in the last race in Canada ended abruptly. with an engine failure cutting Russell’s day short. Monaco now presents a new kind of test—whether Mercedes can keep the pace and control when the stakes are again highest at the start.
Ferrari arrived with belief after Friday practice, where it led both sessions, but qualifying told a tougher story. On Saturday, neither Ferrari car made it onto the front row. Ferrari’s challenges were compounded by the absence of team principal Fred Vasseur, who missed qualifying for medical reasons.
For the home crowd. Charles Leclerc starts his home race fourth—close enough to threaten. but not close enough to make the work disappear. Leclerc also had to contend with repairs after he clipped a barrier on his final attempt during qualifying. leaving Ferrari with damage to fix before the race begins.
Monaco Grand Prix Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen Mercedes George Russell Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Charles Leclerc F1 pole position qualifying