Kimi Antonelli acknowledges Max Verstappen's pace in Malaysia qualifying
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 3, 2026, 10:19 AM
Last updated Oct 3, 2026
Kimi Antonelli admitted that Max Verstappen was too fast to challenge for pole position during qualifying in Malaysia on October 3. Antonelli faced challenges, having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, which limited his attempts in Q3. While Verstappen secured pole, Antonelli noted that Mercedes still needs to gather insights on their new package's performance under Sepang's demanding conditions. He expressed confidence in the team's potential to compete for points and possibly the win in the race ahead.
- •Max Verstappen takes pole position in Malaysia qualifying.
- •Kimi Antonelli makes a mistake with track limits, affecting his performance.
- •Mercedes struggles to understand their new car package in extreme conditions.
- •Verstappen's pole marks his first of the season.
- 10:19 AMYahoo Sports — Antonelli makes stark Verstappen admission after Mercedes falls short
"Kimi Antonelli gave credit to pole-sitter Max Verstappen in Malaysia, simply admitting that the Dutchman was too quick for him to mount a challenge for pole position today. The Italian headed into Q3 with only one attempt at his disposal after having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits in Q2, leaving him without the opportunity for another final push like the other drivers.
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