Kimi Antonelli: Third Consecutive Pole and Incident with Lawson and Gasly in Miami
The young Italian from Mercedes claimed his third consecutive pole of the season, but the race was marred by a spectacular 360-degree spin from Verstappen and a crash involving Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly, which forced both drivers to retire.
Main Event
The Miami Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2026 season, went down in history as a showcase for 19-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian from Mercedes secured his third consecutive pole and took his third win in three Grands Prix, strengthening his championship lead to 20 points over George Russell. However, the race at the Miami International Autodrome was remembered not only for the prodigy's triumph but also for a dramatic incident involving Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson, which triggered a safety car period and raised questions about technical reliability.
Details and Statistics
Saturday qualifying confirmed Antonelli's qualifying pace: third pole in three Grands Prix—a feat never before achieved by any rookie. However, the start of the main race was tricky for the Italian—Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari overtook him before the first corner, while Max Verstappen, attempting to follow the Monegasque's lead, locked his brakes and spun, dropping deep into the pack. Antonelli was forced to use the run-off area to avoid contact.
The main incident of the weekend occurred on lap six. Pierre Gasly in the Alpine was pushing forward after a great start and, by his own estimate, was running sixth or seventh. On the long straight before the final corner, Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, made contact with the Frenchman. Gasly's car flipped, completed a full 360-degree rotation, and came to a stop against the barrier. The Alpine driver climbed out of the cockpit unaided—the Halo system had done its job, once again proving its life-saving necessity.
After the retirement, Lawson explained the cause of the crash as a technical failure: "I hit the brake, lost the gearbox, which went into neutral. I had no gears and couldn't stop." Both drivers were classified as DNF. The same incident also affected Isack Hadjar, who crashed his car into the wall, and Nico Hülkenberg, who retired due to technical issues.
The decisive moment of the race came with Antonelli's pit stop on lap 27. Mercedes executed an undercut, overtaking Lando Norris in the McLaren, who pitted a lap later. Antonelli emerged ahead and held the lead to the finish, despite issues with the gearbox and throttle. On the final stint, Norris closed to within three seconds, but the Italian held on.
Final top ten classification: 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 2. Lando Norris (McLaren, +3.264), 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren, +27.092), 4. George Russell (Mercedes, +43.051), 5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull, +48.946), 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari, +53.753), 7. Franco Colapinto (Alpine, +61.871), 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, +64.245), 9. Carlos Sainz (Williams, +82.072), 10. Alex Albon (Williams, +90.972).
Context and Significance
Antonelli's third consecutive win made him the first driver in Formula 1 history to win three opening Grands Prix from three pole positions. He also became the first Italian since the legendary Alberto Ascari in 1952 to achieve a streak of three consecutive victories. Antonelli now has 75 points to Russell's 55, and the 20-point advantage looks like a solid foundation for a championship bid.
However, not everything is rosy. Experts have highlighted Antonelli's chronic issue with starts: over three Grands Prix and two sprints, the Italian has lost a total of around 20 positions in the opening meters. Former IndyCar driver and F1TV host James Hinchcliffe warned: "We'll reach a point where you don't have that car advantage, and losing two or three places at the start will no longer be acceptable." For now, Mercedes compensates for the driver's shortcomings with the W17's power, but as competitors close in, this "safety cushion" is thinning.
For Gasly, the incident was a painful blow. The Frenchman admitted to mixed feelings: "It was quite scary. I won't say too much about it, but this shouldn't happen. I'm much more frustrated by the lost points in a weekend where we definitely deserved something." His team Alpine, along with Williams and McLaren, left Miami with a positive outlook—the chassis progress is evident.
What's Next / Preview of the Next Race
The next round is the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, scheduled for May 23-25. That is where the first major wave of upgrades from Mercedes is expected, as the team has so far delayed serious updates to the W17. McLaren and Ferrari have already caught up: in Miami, Scuderia brought 11 new components, while McLaren and Red Bull brought 7 each. Toto Wolff confirmed that the upgrade package for Montreal will be a response to increased competition.
Montreal is a medium-energy track where battery management will be more challenging than in Miami. This will test both the updated technical regulations and Antonelli—whether he can maintain his qualifying edge if competitors gain straight-line power. Bookmakers still favor Mercedes, but odds on McLaren have shortened sharply; the Constructors' Championship intrigue has intensified to the limit.
— Editorial Team
