Max Verstappen qualified second and Isack Hadjar third, placing the two Red Bull drivers immediately behind Antonelli. The result gives Mercedes' Antonelli the leading starting position, with Verstappen and Hadjar forming the rest of the top three.
The Guardian reports that Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton in fifth. George Russell, Antonelli's Mercedes teammate and title rival, qualified sixth, according to The Guardian; Motorsport.com also reports Russell's sixth-place finish.
Motorsport.com reports that the pole was Antonelli's seventh of the 2026 season. The publication described him as the championship leader, while the supplied report from The Guardian says he held a 102-point advantage over Russell before the race.
According to The Guardian, Antonelli needed to be 125 points ahead after Sunday's race to secure the world championship. The qualifying result therefore gives him an opportunity to settle the title at the United States Grand Prix, although the supplied evidence does not include official confirmation from Formula 1 or the event organizers.