Andrea Kimi Antonelli is enjoying a standout weekend at Interlagos. Three second-place finishes across qualifying and the sprint race confirm he is in top form, allowing him to maintain his ambition of fighting for the podium — and perhaps even more — in Sunday’s race. The key behind this successful weekend is his regained confidence in the Mercedes W16.
Dreaming costs nothing, so why stop? Throughout a weekend where he has consistently been at the front, with three second-place finishes, Kimi Antonelli refuses to curb his ambition. The young Italian dreams not only of securing his second career podium but also of achieving something greater: his first F1 victory.
After a surprising Friday, where he claimed a front-row start behind only Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli confirmed his excellent form, replicating it in both the sprint race — where with a few more laps he could have attempted a challenge on the Brit — and in the qualifying session for Sunday’s main race. But this time, it was more than a surprise; it was a confirmation.
This second-place result was earned through solid and impactful performances. Qualifying is not usually Antonelli’s strongest suit, as he tends to perform better over race distance than in a single lap. However, this weekend he started strong from the first session, demonstrating growth and maintaining consistency throughout subsequent sessions.
The importance of setup and teamwork
Antonelli’s front-row start is the result of intense behind-the-scenes work: a meticulous setup process designed to gradually match his aggressive driving style. Midway through the season, this approach had clashed with a W16 that had become stuck due to ineffective updates that were eventually removed. As a result, Kimi Antonelli intensified his collaboration with the team, refining every detail to regain balance and competitiveness.
“It’s definitely a good period. Every time I get in the car, I feel more confident. That has helped. I’m also working with my engineer on the setup to better suit my driving style. With the team, we’re doing a great job,” Antonelli told Sky following the session, explaining what really made the difference, even on a track where he had not driven before.
Maintaining consistency under pressure
Staying at the front is never easy, and doing so consistently is the true challenge. Kimi Antonelli does not yet have the consistency and performance needed to maintain this across an entire season, but at São Paulo, he is building a solid weekend, minimizing errors. His only small mistake was an early gear change that cost him a few hundredths exiting the final corner onto the long uphill, though it would not have been enough to secure pole.
“In the last corner before the climb, I shifted a bit too early and locked the rear slightly, then the front, losing a tiny amount of time. Still, it wouldn’t have been enough for pole, also because the first sector wasn’t particularly good, and I experienced a bit of understeer,” the Italian added.
“Today, the wind was difficult to interpret, its intensity inconsistent. It was a challenging session, with everyone very close, so minimizing mistakes was key.” Despite small errors, Antonelli demonstrated strong resilience in a tightly packed grid.
Mercedes shows progress and strategic outlook
Mercedes provided encouraging signs throughout the weekend, with the W16 adapting well to slow corners, leveraging traction and braking performance. Weather uncertainties remain: while a dry track is expected, temperatures could play a decisive role, impacting pace and tire management. If temperatures rise, controlling rear tire degradation on the MCL39 will become crucial, while cooler conditions, like those on Saturday, could enhance Mercedes’ chances.
“This morning, the pace was very competitive. Temperatures were quite low and should be similar tomorrow, which could play to our advantage. Racing in dirty air is never easy, but we hope to maintain a strong rhythm, pressure the rivals, and perhaps fight for the win,” Kimi Antonelli added.
Race ambitions and starting strategy
One of the best opportunities will come at the start, as running in dirty air can affect tires. Kimi Antonelli plans to start wide and safe: “This season has shown how critical starts and track position can be. Lando has been very strong off the line recently, so it will take something extraordinary. I will focus on a clean start, maintain position, and build the race from there.”
Starting at the front, the goal is at least a podium finish, especially with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc nearby, but Kimi Antonelli aims higher. “[Winning] is the objective. Starting on the front row, the goal is victory. We know the McLaren is fast and that racing in dirty air is challenging, but anything is possible. We’ll aim for a good start, find a strong pace, and try to put pressure on Lando.”
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