Kimi Antonelli Produces A ‘Magic Lap’ To Claim Pole For The Monaco Grand Prix. Here’s The Full Starting Grid

BusinessSportsMoneyKimi Antonelli Produces A ‘Magic Lap’ To Claim Pole For The Monaco Grand Prix. Here’s The Full Starting GridByYara Elshebiny,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Yara Elshebiny is a freelance Formula 1 journalistFollow AuthorJun 06, 2026, 02:03pm EDTMONTE-CARLO, MONACO - JUNE 06: Pole position qualifier Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on June 06, 2026 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)Formula 1 via Getty ImagesKimi Antonelli of Mercedes went fastest in Formula 1’s most important qualifying session of the season in Monaco.The 19-year-old delivered what he described as a “magic” lap around the streets of Monte Carlo, pipping Max Verstappen’s Red Bull to pole position by just 0.043s in the dying moments of Saturday’s qualifying.This marks Antonelli’s first-ever pole position in the Principality and also the Silver Arrows’ first here since Lewis Hamilton back in 2019.As overtaking is next to impossible in Monaco given the extremely tight nature of the circuit, Antonelli has a golden opportunity to translate his pole into a fifth consecutive grand prix victory and further stretch his lead in the World Championship.The Italian youngster currently has a 43-point advantage over his teammate and title rival George Russell.“It was one of those laps we call the magic lap – I was able to put [it] all together,” said Antonelli after qualifying.“It was such a close Qualifying with Max. I think in the first run of Q3 there was just one millisecond between us, but I knew the last lap was good, and was just hoping that it would be enough. It was very close and I’m very happy with that.”MORE FOR YOUMONTE-CARLO, MONACO - JUNE 06: Pole position qualifier Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Second placed qualifier...