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Follow live F1 updates from Monte-Carlo with Antonelli starting on the front row with Verstappen
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Kimi Antonelli claimed a stunning pole in Monaco (PA)F1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- The Monaco Grand Prix starts at 2pm BST | Live on Sky Sports
- Kimi Antonelli claims pole; Verstappen 2nd; Hamilton 3rd
- Click HERE for the top-10 in qualifying
- George Russell was 'bamboozled' after a poor qualifying
What time is the Monaco GP?
The race around the streets of Monte Carlo will start at 2pm BST.
Can Antonelli claim his fifth win in a row?
(Getty)Read moreKieran Jackson6 June 2026 16:58QUALIFYING REPORT: Kimi Antonelli claims stunning Monaco GP pole ahead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton
George Russell’s world championship bid suffered another setback as Kimi Antonelli stormed to pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Antonelli, who has won the last four races, danced his way around Formula One’s famed streets in the principality to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to top spot by just 0.043 seconds.
Russell will start a distant sixth – 0.394 sec slower than his Mercedes team-mate – with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc third and fourth respectively for Ferrari.
Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar lines up from fifth with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris set to start McLaren’s 1,000th race from seventh and eighth.
Full report below:
Antonelli claims stunning Monaco GP pole ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton
Antonelli, who has won the last four races, danced his way around Formula One’s famed streets in the principalityKieran Jackson6 June 2026 19:00Lando Norris after qualifying P8:
“I kind of did. I can’t expect a lot more, I think it’s just clear we’re a long way off - there was more potential in it, it’s just the gap to the others is too extreme - a weekend where we don’t have the confidence in the car, unlike last year.
“Expectations were not high from my side - and they were realistic in the end.”
(PA)Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 18:15Toto Wolff on Russell's performance:
“George is very robust and resilient; a few races went against him. I don’t think it’s the psychological side, he never had the confidence in the car. Once you start to run behind the performance and lose confidence, it’s super difficult to catch up again.
“He didn’t have any grip, Monaco no grip - you have no chance.”
Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 17:45George Russell after finishing sixth in qualifying:
“No, if I knew I’d be able to not be in that position. Start of the year was easy, last three races it’s just been nowhere. Even Canada was a real fight, but then I nailed it. That was pulling something special out of the hat. That’s where I am right now. Don’t really know.
“There’s definitely some things we’ve seen, with my natural driving style, doesn’t suit it as last year did.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail. Last year suited me just fine, this year suits him very well. It still doesn’t answer why the start of the year was such a breeze.
“I don’t know, bit bamboozled right now.”
Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 17:22Antonelli's engineer, Peter Bonnington:
“I didn’t think it was on, looking at the time delta, but in those last couple of corners - it came good.
“We try and not focus on the goal, we focus on the process. Not stressing too much, enjoy the journey, focus on climbing each mountain at a time.
“He’s pretty good, a joy to work with. He does continually surprise us.
“When we had him in the TPC cars, it was evident he had talent straight away. It took Kimi about four laps to match the high speed, then you know he has some raw talent. He was a diamond in the rough, he just needed a bit of polishing - second year is always best.”
Peter Bonnington and Kimi Antonelli (Getty)Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 17:08Lewis Hamilton, after finishing third in qualifying:
Congrats to Kimi, mega job, getting your first pole here is special. We were looking so strong in practice, barely changed anything but car was drastically different. I was as close to the barriers as I could be - what a privilege to be here, I absolutely loved it.
“It’s very close, jeez I thought we maybe nearly had it. It’s great to see how close all the cars are, I think we lost something going into today and that’s what we need to figure out - but we’re obviously there in the fight.
“I’m really keen to see what updates we bring in the future.”
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton gives the thumbs up to pole sitter Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (David Davies/PA). (PA Wire)Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 16:54Max Verstappen after claiming P2:
“If you told me yesterday to be on the front row, I would have defintiely taken it. Extremely positive, very happy to be on the front row, let’s see at the start - I have two cars behind me which start quite well, this was a good day.
“Once you get a clean lap out of it, it’s very rewarding when it goes well.”
Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 16:43Antonelli on pole
(Reuters)
(Getty)Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 16:35Kimi Antonelli after claiming pole:
“One of those laps we call the magic lap, was able to put it together, it was such a close qualifying with Max. I knew the last lap was good, just hoping it was enough. Very happy with that.
“This is one of the most intense if not the most intense qualifying of the year, it takes a massive effort. When it’s about finding the last two-tenths, the walls come closer. I have to be honest, I felt great this morning.
“That was a big step compared to last year, looking forward to tomorrow.”
Kieran Jackson6 June 2026 16:24Newer1 / 9OlderMore about
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