¶ Kimi Antonelli's Stunning Pole
Five Live Formula One.
Qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix has just ended and as you might be able to hear the music is blaring out around the harbour as the Saturday night parties get underway. We've had a brief Brilliant qualifying session here to set the grid for the Grand Prix. And it was Kimmy Antonelli, your championship leader.
The 19-year-old Italian who took poll around the streets of the Principality. He described it as a magic lap. I'm joined by our lead commentator at the BBC, Harry Benjamin, and ViaPlays lead commentator Nelson Valkenberg. A magic lap. Harry then, how would you describe that one?
Oh well it was that it was magic it was remarkable it was incredible it kept us on tentar hooks right into the end of Q3 because I think it just what amplified things more was the fact we came into this weekend thinking actually it was
It was almost Ferraris to lose. And then suddenly at the end of final practice ahead of qualifying, Kimi Antonelli starts to lay the marker down, the gap to his teammate George Russell as well. And Max Verstappen getting into the frame right at the close of qualifying. to that all just elevates what our championship leader Kimi Antonelli the youngest ever man to lead a 401 world championship is doing right now it is remarkable it is magic
Nelson we all got it wrong, didn't we? Because as Harry said, we were really billing for our favourites. They have seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton driving one of their cars and on the other side of the garage they've got the Monegasque home hero Charles Leclerc who is fantastic around this circuit took the victory here two years ago so they had the favourite label.
on their back. But it wasn't to be. Kimmy Antonelli, we always say don't write Max Verstappenov. I'm starting to think I need to say that about Kimi Antonelli now. Never write the Italian driver off.
I I can't believe the jump he's made in level from one year on to the next. It's like he's done twenty-seven races or something. It's insane what he showed us today, the level and the ability to deal with pressure. Ferrari was great yesterday and something changed and and we heard from the team that they didn't make a lot of changes and still the balance was completely off for qualifying. Lewis was great as well, but Charles Leclerc may have had a shot until the final lap when he actually
hit the ball. It's it's double or nothing for Charles Leclerc here always in Monaco and today it was absolutely nothing but it was exhilarating as as Harry says this is the day that you are so grateful. You're an F1 commentator.
to put in. So it was Kimi Antonelli taking poll and alongside him on the front row it will be the four-time champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. Second row is occupied by both Ferrari drivers but Lewis Hamilton getting the better of his Monegas teammate Charlotte Claire.
And then behind them it's Isaac Hajar, the second Red Bull, alongside George Russell, who was unable to do what his teammate Antonelli did, describing his year as torrid, which really paints a picture on how the British driver is feeling at the moment.
¶ Antonelli's Mindset and Mercedes Trust
So let's hear from Kimmy Antonelli then. P1 for him, a magic lap, as we've said. Let's hear how he's feeling after that one.
I it was uh it was incredible. Uh the ration of of adrenaline is just uh really hard to describe and um I'm very happy uh the team did a great job uh to you know to do such a turnaround with the car setup and I'm very happy and looking forward to tomorrow.
How do you play tomorrow then? Because most people think if you get pole here, the win is almost guaranteed, but you've got some very hungry, very good drivers around you.
Yeah, of course. And you know, you can never write off Max or Lewis and uh They're gonna put pressure and uh my you know my goal is to get a good start like I did in Canada and then uh trying to set the pace from there.
Kimmy Antonelli, your pole sitter for the Monaco Grand Prix, he's got 11 world championships around him tomorrow on the grid. Four from Max, seven from Lewis. Lewis, he's going to be feeling the pressure, but in fact, it feels like he's now just absorbing that pressure. And as you said, Nelson, such a step-on from last year.
He went on to talk to another journalist along the line from me, saying that his experience is obviously counting for something, but his mindset is different to last year. You can really see that and I suppose that is going to stand him in such good stead come tomorrow afternoon.
Absolutely and looking back now the right. Was on the wall at the end of FP3, the third free practice session. Because there was a short red flag for Olli Berman's issue, and Mercedes elected not to send Antonelli out again on a fresh set of tires to go for another qualifying simulator.
They knew he was fine. They didn't want to overpress the issue. Just some fuel in for a free practice start at the end of the of the session, but no qualification sim. They knew seven minutes before the end of FP3 that he was ready for this session. And looking back at that now, that moment from Peter Bonington, his race engineer,
It's just
The the level of trust they have in him right now is is through the roof and how how can you blame them after this?
And this is what Toto Wolf and Mercedes Promised us, this is what they saw in Kimi Antonelli to bring him and fast track him into Formula One. And there were so many questions, weren't there, last year? That's too soon, he's not ready, he's crashing, he's all around the edges. But my word, it is that step up from the end of last year.
to this year to to be alongside George Russell who I I feel for him a bit because he's a he's no slouch either but right now he's being made to look like he just cannot hack it. And for for Kimi Antonelli to to have that level of step up and the feedback to the likes of Bono to work with that high calibre in the engineering department at just 19 years of age, that is, the on-track stuff is enough is enough. The off-track stuff makes it even more remarkable.
I have a feeling that last year was on the first time. was too cautious. He was afraid of making mistakes. So we would all say, look, he's too young, he's too inexperienced. Now the brakes are off. He's really going for it. He he did so in Montreal. And to take Paul here you need to have supreme confidence, but also that mindset that just gonna go for and his relationship with Peter Bonington is defining for his success.
I loved hearing Peter Bonington on the radio after that lab. It's such a sort of father-son relationship I feel. Obviously Kimmy's so young. I feel like he's really guiding him and helping him achieve this and Kimmy told me on Thursday, you know, I think now everyone knows what I'm about. You know, I don't back down, I won't back down, and my goodness me, we are seeing that. So he's beaten a four-time world champion in Max Verstappen to poll in Monaco. It sounds huge but
¶ Max Verstappen's Front Row Tenacity
But actually, the Red Bull hasn't been there. So maybe we should have expected that. But Max Verstappen wasn't really invited to the party, he sort of just barged his way in.
Well as Max Verstappen likes to do, you shows up like it's fashionable to do so. Well I think I we didn't write them off for the start of this weekend because you never write Max Verstappen off. Even if the car's not to his liking, he will get every its head again in Canada and we heard the complaints there.
This is a very bumpy track, so we're expecting more of the same and the disappointment from Verstappen that this kind of characteristic is carried over into this new generation car, but then he goes and puts it on the front row. What's that about?
Well it's all About Montreal in effect because he I think he really tried to make a point and they really started to listen to him. They went into the wrong direction this morning and they had to revert to their setup from yesterday. He didn't expect to fight for pole position and you think for
three thousandths it was that he was slower you'd be very disappointed. None of that. He was he was beaming and just like in Montreal the same three characters with Lewis Hamilton there as well. They are just really feeding off each other in their own energy and he was proud to in that fight and happy to be there and it was an awesome session for him as well.
And all I love about Max Verstappen is his tenacity. We know full well that he's even been questioning whether he wants to continue in the sport because of the way the sport's gone with the new rules and regulations. He could easily just be like,
Well, whatever, I don't really want to do well because I want to, in effect, change the way the sport's gonna come back next year and and kind of shape it in the way that he wants. But he's so hungry to do well. Results like this surely mean that the sport are gonna be like, well, we'll just keep them like this. And if Max Mappens doing it. You alright? We'll keep it going.
Well they must I must say and look I mean it's always fine margins isn't it in Formula One as you say what less than half a tenth of a second at the end uh splitting matches that starting on pole got got his first podium of the year last time out in Canada which let's face it was was a bit lucked into
Because we had the two McLaren's out and George Russell going out as well. But here in Monaco, you've got to do the business on a Saturday, and that will G him up. But if if Max I don't know, Max, I just feel like Max, as you say, was very happy after today, but he knows the car's still not quite where he wants it to be, and he won't be completely happy until he is able to mount a championship charge, which right now, well, he's quite a way back in the standings.
I think that's a good thing. champions and we've got a bunch in the first few rows here will never be happy with the car. They're they always find a way to complain about something. But here you can outperform the car. And I think Antonelli did it as well because the entire paddock was convinced it wouldn't be Mercedes. And it wouldn't be Red Bull at the front row. Both of them outperformed their cars and their teammates today, and I think that's where the satisfaction is.
I think drivers made the difference today actually. This is as you say a a dri where a tra where a driver can make a difference around a circuit and I think Kimmy Antonelli, Max Vestablin, they made the difference today. Just look at their where their teammates were.
¶ Race Strategy, Ferrari, and Hamilton's Form
Yeah, it was the max factor. Well let's hear from him then. P2 for the Dutch driver. This is what he had to say straight after the session.
lately we have not been
really good here.
And uh coming off uh the last two races where our ride was a big problem. Um yeah, I didn't expect this to be our best track uh so far but It has been so far because it's been the closest we've been to poll. So uh yeah we take that. I think uh throughout the weekend I felt quite okay with the car. Uh only this morning maybe not so much, but uh that we made a few changes and that made it better. Um still a little bit surprised to be fighting for Paul but uh I take it.
Absolutely. And tomorrow obviously seventy eight laps, it's a long old long old race. Um, has the car got enough performance to to keep you in the fight all the way to the checkered flag?
It's difficult to know. Normally in the race no one goes flat out. You want to keep it uh all under control and steady because you know that you cannot pass around here. Um So it can be a long afternoon, hopefully maybe there is some strategy that can come into play, you never know.
We never know. You never know in Monaco. Monaco madness, Monaco magic. It's all to play for. So Max Versappen will be on the front row alongside your pole sitter, Kimmy Antonelli, and behind him it's two Ferraris which at the beginning of this season you would be fearful of because they were absolute rocket ships. Can we expect the same from the Ferraris off the start here in Monaco?
I doubt there's going to be room for Lewis or Charles to muscle their way past the full front rope. But let's not forget both Max and uh and Antonelli have had brought in starts at some races this year. Especially Lewis will be very keen to capitalize if that opportunity is there. But to find the space to overtake both of them, that is going to be very
You have to breathe in. I'm coming through.
I think the front row will be interesting to watch tomorrow for sure. The the characteristics from Ferrari so far this year have been there, they're really quick starts. But so actually, not that the starts have tapered off, but others have started.
You know, George Russell and actually last time out in Canada, Kimmy Anzane didn't get as bad a start as he has been having. So they are starting to lose out on that advantage that Ferrari had from the start of the year with that slow turbo, uh small turbo, sorry, uh swirling up the engine quicker and able to get going.
making them quicker in slow speed corners that we have so many in Monaco. So I think actually Frari will be disappointed at the outcome because they now find themselves behind a Red Bull and a Mercedes. It is going to be tricky to overtake. The best chances if there's any kind of carnage going down into turn one.
and then maybe strategy but what often you have here is teammates may have to resign to work together begrudgingly for the one behind. Last year we saw the lead car, uh or the one behind I should say slowing right down, managing the pace and creating massive gap in the field so the lead car would have enough of a gap to come into the pit lane and then come out again and get a free stop. So we might see a bit of that kind of play going out tomorrow.
The strategists always need to be on their A game here in Monaco, don't they? So let's talk about Ferrari then as we mentioned they had the favourites tag coming into this weekend. So Lewis Hamilton outqualifying Charles Leclerc and I think he was really chuffed with that. Whilst obviously always striving for pole position, to outqualify your teammate is always a number one priority, but also to
Do it on a track where your teammate is so strong. And actually, Lewis made the point. Everyone goes on about Charles being the fastest driver over one lap. I've kind of proved I can do it too. And I thought I quite liked that from him after the session. P3 for him, that's surely a little short. In the arm for him, even though he might manage to get pole position. But something is happening with him and Ferrari. It's slowly clicking, Nelson.
It's very it's been a slow burn. Last year was difficult for him, but this season it has started to click and you see the difference in dynamics suddenly. Between Lewis and uh and Shaw. Uh to Lewis's advantage, it was a strong qualifying because he was struggling with the balance of the car. It just wasn't working for him and he was
Tweaking it throughout the session. And that's when Lewis is at his best, because he's so good at getting the car where he needs it to be. And now I feel like Ferrari started to listen to him. And that's exactly what he needs. And I I believe this is the start of a big season. I I can't predict anything for him, but I think he's gonna have a lot more smiles on his face compared to last
I agree, there's a lot of good stuff going on for Lewis Hamilton right now. His engineering team, he finally feels happy and content, even though his main engineer is actually still technically temporary, and we were expecting maybe an announcement of a more permanent one. Question: Well, actually, if he's happy with his current team, should he just stick with that now? He's sort of found his bono that he had in Mercedes. Now he's found the new new team that.
Also, think off the track as well. Look at the in Canada, his mother came to the race and he's feeling you know really happy to have her there. He's enjoying life outside of it. Who did we have here today for the first time this season? Kim Kardashian rocked up watching at the top of the Ferrari treehouse in the pit lane, surely that's got to be worth a few tents, Nelson.
You'd think so, however, uh you think so.
That's not precise science, but
Yeah, it's difficult to measure in this one, but that's not and I think we need to mention this. Fred Fasur is in here today. We started today with a a Weird statement, an unexpected statement that Fasur has had some medical issues yesterday night and that he's in the hospital. No details. I know we're all not going to ask because it's very private.
The Ferrari big boss.
Exactly. Fred Fosseur, Ferrari team principal. This must have an effect on the team, however way, shape or form and how you look at it. But a weird day for Ferrari. I think they expected more, but yeah, Lewis Hamilton must be chuffed.
Well let's hear from him. It was a challenging day, but I think he'll take P three and especially P three ahead of his teammate in P four.
We came in today and seemed to have lost some performance overnight. We made tiny tweaks back in the direction we were and then we got into qualifying and the car was like it was horrible for some reason to start off with. And I had to make so many um
I can take so much wing out of my front uh uh front of the car and we didn't put any in. Like a lot. And um just to calm the car down and ultimately I think just taking performance off the car. Because as you take down force off, you take performance down force. So I think ultimately today we we lost Front row P1.
through that and through confidence that you end up losing with but I'm still grateful to be third and uh Yeah, and one part of me like I really, really wanted to have ki have pole to fight for the wind, but I'm gonna try and fight for the win from now.
As a driver you always want to beat your teammate even if Paul's not there. So is that almost a little win for you that you were able to be ahead of Charles on a circuit that he is so good at?
Yeah, I'm in and have fun. Says Charles is the fastest. Over a single lapso too. I think though I've kind of proven I have I've done pretty good laps in my lifetime. And obviously hopefully you can see I still have the pace, I still have what it takes to win and and compete. So um yeah, to be at be at his uh at his home track here to be setting ahead I think is positive but It's one place and it's ultimately we we as a team want to be processing.
So Lewis Hamilton, P3 for him in the qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix, and I loved how tentative he was at trying to sort of maybe blow his own trumpet there about how good he might might or might not be as a seven-time world champion.
Yeah, well I think he he's he's still got it, I think is the underlying point to take away from that, isn't he? Uh good old Lewis. But you know what, it's great'cause if he's happy out on track, you get better answers to your questions, don't you, Rosanna?
¶ Russell, Leclerc, and McLaren's Difficulties
Yeah, he had a spring in his step. It was really nice to see a smile on his face, I have to say. And conversely, his teammate, Charles Leclerc, really not happy. I think he's hoping they're gonna have a fix next time out in Barcelona.
Thank you.
So hopefully that will give him a bit more performance. But he's really struggling as we know off the back of a weekend in Montreal that he described as his worst weekend in Formula One. Behind him the second uh Red Bull of Isaac Hajjar, but I want to talk about George Russell.
A torrid year is how he's described the season so far and I actually pulled him up on that. I said, but George, you're P2 in the standings. You know, it's so weird to hear a driver say torrid year and yet be P2. But of course, he came into this year thinking, I think, this championship was his. as de facto number one of that team, he surely thought this was the year for him.
Well it we all did. I'll hold my hands up and say I thought absolutely, I think Kimmy will fight but George Russell is is the experienced hand, he knows the team really well. So I was on that train that I thought this was Russell's to lose and now he's 43 points back. Okay, there's been a bit of bad luck on his side, but that is Formula One. That happens. Now it sounds like he's not comfortable with the car and these are just all alarm bells that we've heard before when I
when other teammates start to fall behind and it this is this was not what he needed. He he didn't need to outright win this, you know, be in pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix and go out and win it, but he needs to be right there with Kimmy. And he's not, what was he about four, just over four tenths a drift from Kimmy at the end of Q3? And that is that is a nightmare as a teammate.
I think it's uh uh difficult to really estimate how how difficult the challenge is mentally when you've been waiting for your chance to have a championship winning car and at that You suddenly have to contend with Kimi Antonelli in this case. And then things don't go your way. And the mental aspect of any elite sport, and motor sports is no different, counts for 50%. And then suddenly you're not comfortable, suddenly you're not that confident.
in in your own ability or that of your team and and it starts to stack up and you see the mental baggage stacking up with George Russell. You can't have that at the streets of Monaco.
No, you can't. And also struggling right behind him are the two McLaren, Oscar Piastri. outqualifying Lando Norris. Piastri had been a little bit MIA, I think, over the course of the weekend, so to outqualify his teammate, potentially a positive, but they're both struggling with the car, saying how difficult it is to drive on a circuit like that, that is this is so difficult, isn't it, of course. So
Can we expect anything from them in the coming races, do you think, the McLaren, to turn around this performance? They've had reliability issues this weekend, but the performance also seems to be lacking.
Yeah, well I th I I think this is not, you know, McLaren down and out just yet. Uh you're right about Piastri being a bit M I A. There's a case to say he's been a bit MIA kind of from the season so far. I've Lando didn't I don't think Lando finished his final lap. I think he must have made a mistake and decided to bail out of it at some point, Nelson.
if it was hampered potentially by the yellow flag caused by Charles Leclerc that could have had an impact. Um but he did bill. Um the problem is that this car doesn't like short corners and uh next up in in Barcelona it would potentially be easier. Let's not forget how quick McLaren was the last two races. Uh sprint race in Montreal, they were right there. Miami They were right there, so I think it might be circuit specific for McClellan.
But also interestingly just on McLaren it's been a bit uh messy. You know we talk about the the uh the the the choice to go on the uh on the on the wet tire ahead of the start for the Canadian Grand Prix. There's been a bit some opposite.
Operational things going on. They got fined 30,000 euros for Lando Norris conking out after his battery suspectedly failed uh and they they stuck a stuck a bit of tape over a button that shouldn't have had it for it at some sort of advantage. It's just it's not it's not quite what we th think we should get from a sort of the reigning world champions coming into this this uh season. So I think there's a few things to clean up there as well.
And I think Lando Norris feels that there is time to clean that up. It's such a long season that there are plenty of opportunities to refine and finesse things. So yeah, definitely ones to watch, but potentially not tomorrow. Talking of tomorrow, of course, today may or may not have been the highlight of the weekend, we just don't know. But what are you expecting? 22 cars flying down into Saint-Devort. It's gonna be a hectic start.
You guys are calling it, rather you guys than me. What are you expecting into that first turn?
Ah carnage. Either Kimmy Antonelli or Max Verstafford to be coming out of Sandavort in the lead of that race.
Oh neither.
Or neither of them and the two Ferraris and Lewis Hamilton suddenly skates through. I honestly can't call it, Nelson, you?
It's it today was difficult to call tomorrow as well, but someone will be squeezed tomorrow because they all want to win here. This is Monaco. They need to win here. And whether it's the guy up who's 19 year olds can he a 19 year old can he keep it together for 78 grueling laps? Who knows?
And it's also strategy. I don't think weather's gonna play a part, but you need to be so on it with the pit wall. And we do need to to see that from potentially McLaren, they need to be on their game, uh, maybe Mercedes as well. It's always a When the eyes and the spotlight's on you, it's always a time you can can drop that ball and the pressure can get to you.
Absolutely, and and that's what I'm looking forward to most. I cannot wait to see how this is gonna unfold. I think we could be in store for a few surprises tomorrow.
Oh you've teeded up nicely guys. Harry Benjamin and Nelson Valkenberg. Thank you so much. The race gets underway at two o'clock tomorrow, but I'll be roaming the grid from 1:30, trying to track down celebrities. Might even try and get a word with Kim Kardashian. Do join us then, Kimmy Antonelli on poll. Can he hang on to it? Convert it to victory on the streets of Monaco tomorrow. We will all find out. This has been an IMG production for BBC Radio 5 Live.
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