F1 Qualifying Results: Kimi Antonelli smashes pole record after George Russell Mercedes issues

Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday, becoming the youngest ever F1 polesitter in the process.

George Russell will start alongside him on the front row but the Brit nearly had an absolutely disastrous session, his car stopping on track early in Q3 before he had set a lap time.

Russell had complained about understeer at the end of Q2, having been beaten by Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli on the timing boards, and had his team change his broken front wing before Q3.

However, he stopped on track almost immediately after going out, complaining about power issues, before getting his car running again – but slowly, unable to change gear as he trundled around to the pits in desperate hope that his issues could be resolved. They were, but the Brit simply couldn't find the pace to beat his teenage colleague.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will get a great chance to use their prodigious take-off speed from third and fourth respectively, but Max Verstappen will start in eighth, behind the Alpine of Pierre Gasly on the fourth row.

Having also stopped after just a handful of laps in practice and failed to finish the sprint race, the Racing Bulls rookie surely feared the worst at that point – but he emerged from the garage with enough left on the clock to set a final lap, which sent him through to Q2.

However, when he was tracking to challenge the top 10 in his final Q2 run, Gabriel Bortoleto went off at the final corner to bring out double yellow flags and ruin Lindblad's lap. He will start 15th.

The bottom six will again be made up of two Williams, two Aston Martins and two Cadillacs.

READ MORE: Newey opens up on Alonso pain with Aston Martin 'on their knees'

F1 Qualifying Results: Chinese Grand Prix 2026

Changes to F1 Qualifying in 2026

There are a couple of changes to the way qualifying works this year, not quite as sweeping as the new technical regulations.

Firstly we now have 22 cars on the grid, so instead of 5 cars exiting after Q1 and Q2, we will have 6 being eliminated. That still leaves 10 for the pole shootout in Q3.

The other notable change is in the timings - Q3 now gets an extra minute and lasts for 13 rather than 12.

READ MORE: F1 star blasts Red Bull rival in furious ‘that guy f**** sucks’ outburst

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Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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