Kimi Antonelli: We call such circles magical!

      Kimi Antonelli continues to amaze: he has secured pole position for the fourth time this season, and now it has happened in Monaco, where success in qualifying often precedes success in the Grand Prix. George Russell, his teammate at Mercedes, only managed to achieve the sixth fastest time.

      Kimi Antonelli (1st): "It was one of those laps that we call magical! I managed to put everything together, you know?!! The rivalry with Max Verstappen was intense, and I think in the first attempt in the final qualifying session, we were separated by just one thousandth of a second.

      But I knew my last lap was good, and I just hoped it would be enough for pole. The results are very tight, and I am very pleased. Huge thanks to the team, as we had some difficulties yesterday, but today we were able to significantly improve.

      I think it was one of the most intense qualifying sessions, possibly the most intense of the year, and that requires a huge effort, including in practice, as you try to get as close to the limit as possible. The most important thing is to find those last two tenths, which is not easy, as the walls get closer, and achieving the necessary confidence is a tough task.

      But to be honest, I have a great mood this morning, and I am very happy that we managed to see it through today. Of course, I just enjoy driving this car, this weekend, as compared to last year, there has been a significant step forward, you know? It's great when every session brings joy, and now I am looking forward to tomorrow's race."

      George Russell (6th): "If I knew what the problem was, I wouldn't have to give this kind of explanation now. At the beginning of the year, everything was going very smoothly; I was setting the fastest times in every practice and qualifying session, at worst the second fastest.

      But in the last three races, I couldn't even get close to those results. Even in Canada, I had to really fight to get a decent lap, and in the end, I managed to do it. But that was aided by some special circumstances, and I had a bit of luck.

      But why I ended up in 6th position now, I just don't understand. Certainly, there are a number of factors related to the fact that the car this year doesn't suit my natural driving style as well as last year's did. And Kimi and I drive differently.

      I don't want to go into details, but it was clear last year, and it's clear now. Of course, this year's car suits him perfectly. I need to adapt somehow, and I will do my best, but that still doesn't answer the question of why everything came so easily to me at the beginning of the season."