Kimi Antonelli secures Monaco Grand Prix pole, edging Max Verstappen and Ferrari

Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched pole position for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, posting a lap 0.043 seconds faster than Max Verstappen. The Italian rookie described the lap as “one of those magic laps”, highlighting his perfect execution in the circuit’s tight second sector.

Max Verstappen finished second, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton took third. Charles Leclerc, the home driver, struggled with brake inconsistencies and crashed into the wall on his final attempt, relegating him to fourth on the grid. Leclerc blamed an “inconsistent” SF‑26 and tyre‑window issues for his performance loss throughout the weekend.

The result is significant for Mercedes, marking its first Monaco pole since Lewis Hamilton’s 2019 win, and for Italy, as Antonelli becomes the first Italian to claim Monaco pole since Jarno Trulli in 2004. The qualifying session was marked by narrow margins, a brief red‑flag after Gabriel Bortoleto’s crash, and intense competition among the top teams for the coveted front‑row start.