United States Grand Prix results: Kimi Antonelli on brink of world title after win in Austin

Kimi Antonelli has edged closer to sealing his first drivers' world championship as he starts on pole for the United States Grand Prix, and you can follow live updates on ESPN.

The Mercedes driver beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to the line by 0.179 seconds.

- Kimi Antonelli takes pole in bid to seal world title at United States Grand Prix
- Kimi Antonelli ecstatic with first pole since July at United States GP: 'It's good to be back'

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Antonelli builds lead

Charles Leclerc has lost a bit of time to leader Kimi Antonelli. There is now around two seconds separating the the top two.

A reminder that Antonelli is on the hard tyre and Leclerc is on the medium.

Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images

34º
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Verstappen goes fastest

That second pit stop has suited Max Verstappen well and he is setting the fastest laps in fifth.

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Top five

1) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

2) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

4) Lando Norris (McLaren)

5) Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

32º
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32º
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Antonelli leads again

Kimi Antonelli has passed Charles Leclerc for the lead on the hard tyres down to Turn 12.

It looks like the Ferrari driver is holding on and is staying well within a second.

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Uh-oh!

Max Verstappen is losing time and grip in the lead and Red Bull have called him into the pits and is on the medium tyre.

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

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Verstappen with issues

Max Verstappen has come on the Red Bull team radio and has said the car is "undrivable." I wonder what's going on there?

Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

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Antonelli hunting down

Kimi Antonelli is showing good pace on those hard tyres around COTA and is four seconds behind leader Max Verstappen.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is running in second on the medium tyres.

27º
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Bearman retires

It's heartbreak for Oliver Bearman who has been forced to retire from the race.

27º
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Top five

1) Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

4) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

5) Lando Norris (McLaren)

26º
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Down at Red Bull, Isack Hadjar let his teammate Max Verstappen through, but Verstappen was not happy for the delay in that decision.

26º
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Nate Saunders

We've got a one-stop vs a two-stop race as we have it. Antonelli going to the end of the race, while Verstappen, Hadjar and Hamilton will have to stop again. It's been a mega drive so far from Antonelli, he's still in a really good place to win this race.

Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

25º
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Mercedes have pulled the trigger and have pitted leader Kimi Antonelli. He's in fourth place ahead of Lewis Hamilton and is on the hard tyres.

It looks like both Mercedes drivers are going to the end here.

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Russell serves penalty

George Russell has now served his five-second time penalty and has also bolted on the hard tyres.

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Kimi Antonelli is looking comfortable out in the lead but it seems Mercedes might be opting for a one-stop strategy, while his nearest rival Max Verstappen is on the two-stop.

Antonelli has been told by his race engineer Peter Bonnington to "just keep it up."

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Leclerc to P4

Charles Leclerc has now passed George Russell to take fourth. He's got to try and make up four seconds to Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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Verstappen looks racey

Those new soft tyres are working well for Red Bull's Max Verstappen after passing George Russell into Turn 12.

The Dutchman is now in third and is chasing down leader Kimi Antonelli, who is yet to pit.

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Nate Saunders

Kimi Antonelli in a race of his own out in front. Going to be a long and lonely race for a few of these drivers it seems. Gotta wonder, what happened to all the yo-yo racing from earlier in the year?

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Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar will line up on the second row in third, with Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari behind.

Lewis Hamilton, despite finishing fastest in final practice, was down on the timesheets and will start fifth.

George Russell couldn't find the pace as Mercedes continue to work on unlocking the new upgrades and was sixth-fastest.

Antonelli can seal the title at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin if Hamilton finishes fifth or lower and Russell finishes ninth or lower.

The title leader said after securing his first pole since July: "Yeah, I mean, we've got pole, so we'll try to win tomorrow. But Max has been very quick, and also, Isack did an incredible job in qualifying.

"It's not going to be easy, but we'll try to get a good start, and then hopefully we'll lead into Turn 1, and then we'll try to set the pace, even though it's going to be very tight. But very happy with the qualifying today. Q3 was very tough with the wind, very gusty, unpredictable, but happy that we stuck it on pole."