Forbes
Starting Grid For The 2026 F1 United States Grand Prix
xCruzo Brief
Andrea Kimi Antonelli put Mercedes on pole for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, a result that could also secure his first Formula 1 world title in Austin. The Italian teenager set a lap of 1m 34.035s for his seventh pole of the season and of his career, edging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.179s. Isack Hadjar qualified third in the second RB22. Antonelli could become F1’s youngest-ever world champion at age 20 if he wins and Mercedes teammate George Russell finishes no better than ninth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or worse. Hamilton, currently third in the standings, starts fifth behind Charles Leclerc, while Russell starts sixth. Further back, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris begin seventh and eighth.
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