Brazil GP Sprint analysis: Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli could have led the grid on optimal Soft tires. Kimi Antonelli impressed in the Brazilian GP Sprint Qualifying with Mercedes’ W16.

Antonelli and Mercedes shine in F1

Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes are flying in Formula 1. This was evident in the Sprint Qualifying at the Brazilian GP, where the young Italian impressed at Interlagos. The team provided him with a highly competitive W16, and he did the rest. Unfortunately, in SQ3, the soft tires’ grip level was not optimal, preventing him from reaching pole position and shaving off those crucial 97 thousandths of a second behind Lando Norris.

Mercedes’ competitive step confirmed by technical factors

Mercedes arrived at Interlagos with strong confidence. There was hope that the German car could show its potential in a context where the team is fighting Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, potentially gaining a tangible advantage. So far, this has proven true, particularly as Ferrari faced several technical issues, as predicted in our pre-race preview.

The track itself tells the story, being the only venue where the 2022 “zero pod” concept achieved a remarkable 1–2 finish: George Russell first, Lewis Hamilton second. The Brackley team worked extensively: beyond abandoning the new rear suspension, they made significant progress in weekend execution, largely thanks to a clear understanding achieved at the factory.

“Part of the credit” goes to the challenges faced by Kimi Antonelli, which pushed the team to review how they analyze the car virtually. In this way, the engineers led by James Allison discovered that the correlation between wind tunnel data, CFD, and the track was not optimal. Once resolved, things improved. Technically, the W16 is now less dependent on temperature, a variable that used to be highly sensitive depending on the circuit and previously limited performance.

Observing the latest sessions, the W16 has corrected issues in braking zones and complex corners that require simultaneous braking and steering. In these conditions, Mercedes now finds an advantage compared to Red Bull and Ferrari.

Brazil GP: Kimi Antonelli loses pole due to imperfect soft tire activation

If Russell went fast, Kimi did even better. Yet the young Italian talent was essentially a rookie on this track, having never driven it in feeder series. Everything went smoothly, thanks to his focus and the team’s support. His objective was to gain confidence on the circuit as quickly as possible without overthinking.

Thanks to a well-prepared car, Kimi could have taken his second F1 pole. The analysis starts from his own observation: during his flying lap in Q3 on soft tires, the available grip was not ideal. A slight lack of adherence, likely due to a good but not perfect warm-up lap, limited his potential.

The soft tires created a minor understeer that did not help the 19-year-old, who maximized the car’s potential in the final part of qualifying. Considering the tiny gap of just 97 thousandths, he could certainly have aimed for pole. The start will be decisive, but being first into turn 1 does not guarantee victory—a rule that applies both to Kimi and to Lando Norris.