Monaco GP: Unstoppable Antonelli snatches pole in qualifying as Kim Kardashian watches Lewis Hamilton finish 3rd

Mercedes' 19-year-old phenom Kimi Antonelli has continued his blistering start to the season by securing a sensational pole position for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, narrowly edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session.

The session concluded under a cloud of disappointment for the home crowd as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed in the final moments of Q3.

Antonelli's stunning lap puts him in the prime starting spot for Sunday's race, with Verstappen lining up alongside him on the front row.

Meanwhile, Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton will start third in his Ferrari, just ahead of his teammate Leclerc, whose late incident at the barriers prevented any final improvements from the field.

Red Bull's Isack Hadjar impressed by qualifying fifth, followed by the second Mercedes of George Russell in sixth. McLaren locked out the fourth row, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in seventh and eighth, respectively. Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten.

Lewis Hamilton qualified third for Scuderia Ferrari at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, securing a strong second-row starting position for Sunday's main event.

Following an incredibly dominant Friday where he topped the practice timesheets, Hamilton entered Saturday's critical qualifying session with high hopes of capturing his first pole position for Ferrari. In the dying minutes of a chaotic Q3 session, the pole position changed hands three times in less than 120 seconds.

Hamilton briefly held provisional pole with a blazing lap of 1:12.553.

However, Mercedes' Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen put together immense final flying laps, dropping the seven-time champion down.

Hamilton ultimately settled for a highly competitive P3 spot on the grid, clocking a time of 1:12.279, which put him just 0.228 seconds off Antonelli's pole-winning time.

Because overtaking is notoriously difficult on Monaco's narrow streets, starting on the second row gives Hamilton an excellent opportunity to fight for a podium or the race win.

While Hamilton fought on the track, Kim Kardashian made her highly anticipated debut in the Formula One paddock on Saturday. Her high-profile arrival officially marked her first appearance at an F1 race since the couple went "Instagram official" earlier in the week.

Accompanied by her sister Khloé Kardashian, Kim turned heads and modernised the classic "WAG" style aesthetic. She strutted through the Monte Carlo paddock wearing a sleek, sheer black embroidered bodysuit paired with relaxed light-wash jeans, pointed stiletto heels, and shield sunglasses.

• 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

• 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

• 3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

• 4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

• 5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

• 6. George Russell (Mercedes)

• 7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

• 8. Lando Norris (McLaren)

• 9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

• 10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

• 11. Alex Albon (Williams)

• 12. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

• 13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

• 14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

• 15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

• 16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

• 17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

• 18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

• 19. Ollie Bearman (Haas)

• 20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)

• 21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

• 22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)