Kimi Antonelli believes winning the United States Grand Prix "won't be easy" despite securing pole position for Sunday's race.

The Italian topped Q3 in Austin ahead of Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar ahead of what could be a title-clinching race.

Antonelli will become the Formula One Drivers' Championship winner if he wins the race, Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower and Mercedes team-mate George Russell finishes ninth or lower.

Antonelli set a lap time 0.179 seconds faster than Verstappen, while Isack Hadjar and Charles Leclerc make up the second row.

Hamilton will start in fifth, which offers Antonelli more optimism, while Russell qualified in sixth.

Despite a strong performance on Saturday, Antonelli expects a stern test against Verstappen and Hadjar in Sunday's race.

"We got pole, so we will try to win the race," said Antonelli.

RIDE EM, COWBOY!!  AUSTIN GP POLE FOR KIMI  https://t.co/WwzacbfoiT

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 24, 2026

"Max has been very quick and Isack did an incredible job, so it won't be easy.

"We will try to get a good start and hopefully we lead into Turn 1, then set the pace, even though it will be very tight.

"Very happy with qualifying. Q3 was very tough with the wind. Very gusty and unpredictable but happy to put it on pole."

Antonelli has led at least one lap in 14 different grands prix in 2026. Only eight drivers have achieved the feat in 15 or more races in a single F1 season, with Oscar Piastri the only one of those eight who did not finish the year as world champion (15 in 2025).

Antonelli has also secured 17 podium finishes in his F1 career, 14 of them coming in 2026.

Among drivers who have never won the title, only Piastri (16 in 2025) and Valtteri Bottas (15 in 2019) have recorded more podium finishes in a single season in the championship (Rubens Barrichello also recorded 14 in 2004).