Colapinto matched the Mercedes through Sector 2 and 3. He lost half a second before Turn 1.
Antonelli took pole by nearly a second. Colapinto finished P8.
They ran identical lap times through two-thirds of the circuit.
Key Finding
Antonelli was 0.5s faster in Sector 1 alone. The rest of the lap was a dead heat.
Where Antonelli built his advantage
ANT vs COL — sector-by-sector breakdown
The entire gap came in Sector 1 — the run to Turn 1 and the sweeping left-handers. After that, nothing.
▲ ANT faster▼ COL faster
S1: +0.504s · S2: +0.255s · S3: +0.205s
Key Finding
Antonelli was 0.5s faster in Sector 1 alone. The rest of the lap was a dead heat.
Half a second in Sector 1. A quarter-second in Sector 2. Two-tenths in Sector 3.
Add them up and you get a pole lap. But the distribution tells you everything about how the Mercedes is quick. It's not rotating better through the chicanes. It's not carrying more speed onto the back straight. It's reaching Turn 1 with momentum Colapinto couldn't match.
The Alpine kept pace everywhere else
ANT (Lap 14) vs COL (Lap 16) — fastest laps compared
Watch the two lines converge after the opening sequence — from Turn 6 onwards, Colapinto's trace shadows Antonelli's almost exactly.
ANT (Lap 14)COL (Lap 16)
Fastest laps: ANT Lap 14, COL Lap 16.
Key Finding
Antonelli was 0.5s faster in Sector 1 alone. The rest of the lap was a dead heat.
Colapinto's fastest lap came two laps later than Antonelli's, on a track that was getting greasier under 52-degree surface temperatures. His tyres were logging negative degradation — getting faster — which shouldn't happen in Miami heat unless you're fighting the car.
He still couldn't close the gap. Because the gap wasn't in the technical section. It was in the bit where aero efficiency and power unit deployment decide who gets to Turn 1 first.
Key Finding
Antonelli was 0.5s faster in Sector 1 alone. The rest of the lap was a dead heat.
Antonelli had three track limits deletions. Colapinto had four, all at Turn 15, all in the space of 14 laps. He was hunting grip that wasn't there.
The Mercedes didn't need to hunt. It arrived at the first braking zone half a second clear and managed the rest. Montreal has one very long straight. If Alpine can't find speed in a straight line, they'll be managing again.