Antonelli Takes Austin Pole With F1 Title in Reach

Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, putting the Mercedes driver in position to clinch the Formula One championship if he wins and other results fall his way. His qualifying lap of 1 minute, 34.035 seconds was 0.179 seconds faster than Max Verstappen’s, with Isack Hadjar third for Red Bull. Antonelli leads Mercedes teammate George Russell by 102 points before Sunday’s race, with 125 points available. He can secure the title in Austin by winning, provided Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower. Hamilton qualified fifth and Russell sixth, so both rivals start within positions that would currently prevent Antonelli from clinching the championship. The 20-year-old’s pole was his seventh of the season and his first in eight races. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, ahead of Hamilton. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took seventh and eighth, respectively. Norris’s best lap was deleted for exceeding track limits. Antonelli said after qualifying that his aim was to win, while acknowledging that Verstappen and Hadjar would make the race difficult. Verstappen, who qualified second, said he...