Toto Wolff hails Kimi Antonelli's "spectacular" Miami qualifying performance

TL;DR

Toto Wolff praised Kimi Antonelli's impressive pole position lap ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, highlighting his significant lead over competitors. Antonelli currently leads the drivers' standings after consecutive wins in China and Japan.

Key points

Toto Wolff praised Kimi Antonelli's pole position lap
Antonelli leads the drivers' standings
He won consecutive races in China and Japan
Antonelli outperformed Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc
Qualifying took place at the Hard Rock Stadium

Mentioned in this story

Toto WolffKimi AntonelliMax VerstappenCharles Leclerc

Miami Grand PrixMercedes

Motorsport photo

Mercedes Formula 1 team principal and CEO Toto Wolff has praised Kimi Antonelli's pole-winning lap ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

The Italian driver, who took the lead of the drivers' standings after back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, claimed pole position for the race at the Hard Rock Stadium after holding off four-time champion Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in qualifying.

"That first lap was really special because, as you see, he was three or more tenths ahead of the next guy. Spectacular, and that made the pole, but then it was a Kimi," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "We are having confidence, and then we are overpushing it but that's how he is.

"It's already an improvement because in the past it would end up in the wall. Now it's just a missed lap, but he's just showing his speed and that's really, really nice to see."

Mercedes had come under scrutiny for signing Antonelli when Lewis Hamilton left the team for Ferrari, but Wolff has backed the team's support of the 19-year-old driver from a young age.