Kimi Antonelli earns Ayrton Senna comparison after stunning Monaco GP qualifying
Martin Brundle compared Kimi Antonelli to Ayrton Senna after the Mercedes driver claimed a stunning Monaco Grand Prix pole position
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Erik Junius
Sky Sports Formula 1 commentator and former driver Martin Brundle has heaped immense praise on Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, drawing a parallel between the young Italian and three-time champion Ayrton Senna following an impressive Monaco qualifying session.
The 19-year-old, who currently leads the drivers' championship by 43 points over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, claimed pole position at the final moments of qualifying around the streets of Monte Carlo on Saturday 6 June.
"That was one of the best qualifyings I've ever commentated on," Brundle said on Sky Sports F1. "Punch, counterpunch, drivers who looked like they were about to take pole like Charles Leclerc, then he threw it in the fence. It had everything."
He added, likening the Mercedes driver to Senna, who was known as the 'Master of Monaco': "Antonelli made less mistakes than anyone else in the front half of the grid. It was super impressive. He makes me think of Senna."
From 10 race starts in Monaco, Senna secured a record-breaking six wins (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993), eight podium finishes, five pole positions and four fastest laps.
Ayrton Senna, McLaren hugs a mechanic
Photo by: Torsten Blackwood / AFP via Getty Images
Joining Antonelli on the front row of the Monaco Grand Prix grid is four-time champion Max Verstappen, while seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc complete the second row in third and fourth, respectively.
"It was not easy to fall asleep because I still had a lot of adrenaline, but I managed to sleep well," Antonelli said during the pre-race drivers' parade. "It was a great moment yesterday but today’s another day and we’ve still got to execute the race.
"I have two really tough opponents. The closest one is Max and I know he’s going to make my life very hard, so I’ve just got to try to keep it cool and be as consistent as possible."
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