Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivered a strong performance at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, finishing in fourth place and once again confirming his status as one of the most promising young talents on the Formula 1 grid. Despite the commendable result, the Mercedes rookie admitted he felt disappointed, as he had hoped to secure a podium finish in Baku.
The Baku weekend proved to be strategically challenging, and Antonelli offered a clear analysis of the difficulties he faced with Pirelli’s tire compounds. “The hard tire worked much better, while the medium offered a little more performance at the start but quickly dropped off. I would say I especially struggled with traction on the medium tires,” he explained, providing a detailed insight into his tire management throughout the race.
Lawson posed a challenge, and Russell capitalized
Antonelli noted that a significant portion of his race was affected by the time lost behind Liam Lawson, who delivered an outstanding performance for his Racing Bulls team. “I struggled to stay close to Liam Lawson. I lost a lot of time behind him, and then George Russell executed an overcut on me because the hard tire had very low degradation and kept improving lap after lap,” Antonelli said, highlighting how strategic battles and tire performance influenced the race outcome.
Mercedes remains ambitious
Despite his personal disappointment, Antonelli emphasized the positive aspects of the race for the Mercedes team. “It’s a shame because I was hoping for a podium, but it’s still a very strong result for the team,” he noted, reflecting the team’s collective achievement despite individual frustration.
Mercedes capitalized on this strong performance in Baku to move into second place in the Constructors’ Championship, overtaking Ferrari. With seven races still remaining in the season, the championship battle remains wide open and highly competitive, leaving room for dramatic shifts in the standings as the season progresses.
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