Monaco GP: Sensational Antonelli seizes pole with all-out lap

Kimi Antonelli delivered a sensational late lap to secure pole position for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, edging Max Verstappen in a dramatic final twist to qualifying that saw Mercedes overcome Ferrari’s earlier dominance and tighten their grip on the championship battle.

The 19-year-old championship leader produced a 1m12.375s to claim his fourth pole in the last five races, finishing just 0.043s clear of Verstappen in a breathless Q3 conclusion that swung repeatedly in the final minutes.

Ferrari entered qualifying as favourites after dominating Friday practice with 1-2 finishes in both sessions, but their momentum evaporated under Saturday pressure.

• Monaco Grand Prix - Qualifying results

Antonelli had already set the tone earlier in the day by topping FP3, and carried that form into qualifying where he immediately established provisional pole with a 1m12.375s.

At that stage, Verstappen was just 0.001s behind, with Lewis Hamilton a further 0.177s back in third, underlining how tight the fight at the front remained.

Charles Leclerc, however, endured a far more difficult session. The Monegasque aborted his first Q3 run after nearly striking the barriers at Massenet, forcing a hurried second attempt that still lacked rhythm. A third push lap briefly moved him up the order, but Ferrari never fully recovered the momentum they had carried through Friday.

Late chaos reshuffles the front row

With the clock ticking down in Q3, the order remained unsettled. Verstappen struck first with a 1m12.094s to seize provisional pole, while Hamilton could only manage a lap 0.185s slower, leaving Ferrari and Mercedes locked in a tense final exchange.

Antonelli, however, had the final word.

The Mercedes driver responded immediately with a blistering 1m12.051s, reclaiming pole position by 0.043s in one of the most decisive late qualifying laps of his young career.

Verstappen was forced to settle for second, while Hamilton completed the second row alongside Leclerc, who compounded a frustrating session by brushing the barriers in the final sector at the end of his final attempt.

Midfield battles and tight margins

Behind the front runners, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar impressed again in fifth with a 1m12.434s, while George Russell endured another underwhelming qualifying, finishing sixth and 0.394s off his Mercedes teammate.

McLaren locked out the fourth row with Oscar Piastri seventh and Lando Norris eighth, followed by Pierre Gasly in ninth and Liam Lawson completing the top ten.

The fight to reach Q3 was brutally close, with just 0.002s separating Gasly in 10th from Alex Albon in 11th. Albon will line up alongside Williams teammate Carlos Sainz on the sixth row, marking only the second time this season Williams have placed both cars in Q2.

Early exits and Q1 drama

Further back, Nico Hülkenberg qualified 13th for Audi, ahead of Franco Colapinto in 14th and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad in 15th.

Q1 ended in chaos after Gabriel Bortoleto crashed at the Nouvelle Chicane, triggering a red flag with just minutes remaining.

The Audi driver, who had shown strong pace earlier in the weekend, clipped the inside barrier on entry, ending his session and promoting a frantic scramble for improvement behind the safety car period.

Leclerc topped Q1 despite the interruption, while Sainz escaped elimination at the expense of Esteban Ocon, who dropped to 17th.

Haas suffered a shock double elimination with Oliver Bearman in 19th, while Sergio Perez split the two Cadillacs in 18th. Valtteri Bottas ended up 20th, ahead of a struggling Aston Martin pair — Fernando Alonso in 21st and Lance Stroll at the back of the grid in 22nd.

In the end, it was Antonelli who once again proved decisive when it mattered most, turning a tense Monaco qualifying session into another statement moment in his rapidly ascending championship campaign.

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