“Not bad, not bad!” Andrea Kimi Antonelli could exult in her back to school tour, after the end of the sprint qualification session. Friday in Miami, the 18 -year -old Italian still proved that the launch in Formula 1 despite his 18 years and after a single year in Formula 2 was nothing like a crazy bet. That he was ready to follow the severe progression curve imposed by his boss, Toto Wolff, at Mercedes. And that he was able to assume the succession (even if he does not like this word) of Lewis Hamilton.
Upon his arrival in the closed park of the Floridian urban circuit, he was hailed by his teammate George Russell, struck by his 5th time, at 0 “326 of the little prodigy of Bologna. Then he left his W16, showing soberly his determined fist, before going to meet Lando Norris (McLaren), third at 0” 100, Mondial, Oscar Piastri (McLaren), beaten for 0 “045.
Everything appeared in a very pleasant way
Of course, this is not a real pole position – an appellation reserved for Sunday race – but it seems to announce so many things that we will probably discover soon! “It was a very intense sessionhe explained to Tom Kristen, legend of motor sport at the 9 wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I felt good this morning at the tests (free). The last lap was great, I put everything end to end. Everything appeared in a very pleasant way. “
Antonelli, 18 -year -old prodigy and incredible Mercedes bet
Video credit: Eurosport
Current world n ° 6 with only five Grand Prix on the clock, “AKA” decidedly signed a major performance since it rejected the quadruple world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull), fourth, at 0 “255, and the Ferrari by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at 0” 326 and 0 “548.
The cry of Rage Doohan
Alexander Albon (Williams) Last pilot in the same second as the Italian, Isack Hadjar settled a little more in the shoes of the leader of Racing Bulls by succeeding in the 9th time, at 1 “061, ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
The other Tricolores, Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), rank 12th and 13th. This qualification session unrolled in an accelerated format was marked by the cry of rage and the vindictive remarks of Jack Doohan, released from the QS1 (17th), because according to him of a bad timing of the Alpine team. A reaction that may sound the Australian’s death knell in Formula 1, still without point and threatened for months to be replaced by Franco Colapinto.
 in Sprint pole in front of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris (McLaren)){kind=link}