'The kid did good': Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest-ever F1 pole sitter after George Russell strikes trouble
When George Russell hit trouble in the last part of qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, his teenaged teammate was there to pick up the pieces.
Kimi Antonelli on a Saturday afternoon in Shanghai became F1's youngest-ever grand prix pole sitter aged 19 years and 202 days.
"It was a good session - clean, no mistakes, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow," he said after the session.
AS IT HAPPENED: Chinese Grand Prix Saturday - sprint race and qualifying
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Although he took pole for the Miami sprint race last year, this is the first time the Italian will start from the front in the main Sunday race.
Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest-ever pole sitter. Getty
Antonelli is more than a year younger than Sebastian Vettel was when the German, who would go on to become a four-time F1 world champion, took pole for the 2008 Italian Grand Prix aged 21 years and 73 days old.
He's also the first Italian since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009.
"The kid did good today," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said on Sky Sports F1.
"Many said the kid was too young - too young to be in a Mercedes and we should have prepared him otherwise.
"But the kid did good today - youngest pole sitter … I'm so happy for him."
Antonelli on his way to pole. Getty
For Russell, he was in the box seat to continue his unbeaten run in qualifying sessions, but the door was opened to his rivals when he stopped on track shortly after leaving the pits at the start of the final session.
He reported no power, and no battery. He was eventually able to get the car moving again, but he said on team radio he had no ability to change gear and was stuck in first gear.
Back in the pits, it became a race for his Mercedes team to get the car back out. They did with only seconds to spare, but Russell wasn't able to better his teammate.
Wolff said the issue appeared to be electrical.
"We had to power cycle the car three times like an iPhone - switch it off and on," he said.
"I didn't think he would get out, but to my surprise he got a lap."
Russell earlier in the day took a dominant win in the sprint race to extend his championship lead.
Sunday's grid will resemble something of a Noah's ark - the two Mercedes will start on the front row, ahead of the two Ferraris, and the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
The Alpine of Pierre Gasly put in a storming lap and will start seventh, ahead of the two Red Bulls led by Max Verstappen.
Chinese Grand Prix full qualifying results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:33.305 | 1:32.443 | 1:32.064 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:33.262 | 1:32.523 | 1:32.665 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:33.522 | 1:32.567 | 1:32.794 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:33.175 | 1:32.486 | 1:32.807 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:33.590 | 1:33.130 | 1:32.929 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.535 | 1:32.910 | 1:32.987 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:33.788 | 1:33.003 | 1:33.252 |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:33.417 | 1:33.098 | 1:33.381 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:33.632 | 1:33.352 | 1:33.500 |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:33.687 | 1:33.197 | 1:33.671 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:34.116 | 1:33.354 | |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:33.634 | 1:33.357 | |
| 13 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:33.974 | 1:33.538 | |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:34.139 | 1:33.765 | |
| 15 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:33.906 | 1:33.784 | |
| 16 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:33.549 | 1:33.965 | |
| 17 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:34.317 | ||
| 18 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:34.772 | ||
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:35.203 | ||
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:35.436 | ||
| 21 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:35.995 | ||
| 22 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:36.906 |
