Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the youngest driver to score pole position for any F1 event for the Miami Sprint, yet the Mercedes rookie would not convert his P1 start.
The Bologna boy shattered the record books on Friday when Antonelli beat Oscar Piastri for pole for the Miami Sprint. A mere 0.045 seconds separated the Mercedes and McLaren duo after SQ3 in Florida, with Antonelli securing his maiden P1 grid position with a 1:26.482 lap.
But the 18-year-old’s lead would only last until the first corner after Piastri got the jump on Antonelli in the wet conditions. The McLaren driver even capitalised on his super launch to dictate the racing line for Turn 1 like how Piastri dealt with Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia.
Damon Hill brands Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s start to the Miami Sprint ‘tragic’ after blowing pole position
Verstappen got a five-second penalty in the Saudi Arabian GP after cutting the corner at T2 to remain in front of Piastri, before also trying to stretch his lead. Antonelli would not repeat the Red Bull ace’s error, but lost the lead of the Sprint at the Miami GP and further positions.
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Antonelli attempting to hang on around Piastri’s outside when the door was always going to be slammed in the teenager’s face also allowed Lando Norris of McLaren and Verstappen to jump the Mercedes gem. And Damon Hill could see Antonelli losing the extra places coming.
Hill even found Antonelli’s start to the F1 Sprint at the Miami GP rather ‘tragic’ as he fell to fourth through the opening corners on Saturday. It would have been in the Italian’s interest to instead fall in behind Piastri and get the racing line away from Norris as he came through.
Hill told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra (3/5, 17:35): “It’s a fascinating situation, very similar to Saudi Arabia. In this case, we had Oscar Piastri make a very good start and get himself into the right position and, unfortunately, there was no room left for Antonelli.
“He’s lost three places and it’s been a bit of a tragic first lap for him. It was inevitable in a way. Once you get a car down your inside, this is going to happen.”
Max Verstappen helped ruin Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Miami Sprint with an unsafe release
Antonelli’s day would only get worse as the F1 Sprint at the Miami GP went from wet to dry conditions and Mercedes had to pit the Italian to switch from intermediate to slick tyres. He was helpless to avoid being hit by Verstappen in the pit lane after Red Bull’s unsafe release.
The Bologna boy sustained damage and plummeted down the order approaching the final stages. A safety car period for Aston Martin ace Fernando Alonso crashing would also deny Antonelli a chance to recover at least some of the places he lost during the pit stop phase.
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