Andrea Kimi Antonelli has admitted making two costly mistakes during a rain-affected qualifying session for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, but the Mercedes driver remains confident he can fight for victory in both wet and dry conditions. The newly crowned Formula 1 world champion qualified third, approximately six tenths of a second behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, before gaining a front-row starting position thanks to George Russell’s five-place grid penalty.
For a driver who has only just secured his maiden world championship and remains determined to fight at the front, the qualifying result was understandably frustrating. However, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has several reasons to approach Sunday’s race with confidence, having shown excellent pace throughout Friday practice and demonstrated that the Mercedes W17 is competitive around Interlagos.
Kimi Antonelli reveals two costly mistakes in Brazilian GP qualifying
Intermittent rain played a decisive role in Saturday’s qualifying session, particularly during Q3, when changing conditions made it essential for drivers to produce a clean lap at the right moment. Antonelli believes he lost a significant amount of time through two mistakes on his final qualifying attempts, preventing him from challenging more closely for pole position.
The first error came at Turn 5, a corner that requires considerable confidence on entry. The second occurred at Turn 9, one of the more complicated sections of Interlagos because drivers must brake and steer simultaneously.
With the rain constantly changing the amount of available grip, mistakes were particularly easy to make, as several drivers discovered during the session. Antonelli believes that without those two errors, his deficit to the fastest time would have been considerably smaller.
The session also represented the first wet qualifying experience for the entire field with the current generation of Formula 1 cars. Combined with Interlagos’ relatively low grip levels, which had already caused difficulties in dry conditions, this made finding the correct operating window for the tyres especially challenging.
“The first wet qualifying session wasn’t easy,” Antonelli told Sky after qualifying. “This track isn’t easy in the wet either, especially with the changes in asphalt. It’s difficult to find the right line, but I have to say that in Q1 and Q2 it was extremely difficult to get a clear lap without traffic, and then switching to the intermediates wasn’t easy either.”
The Italian then explained exactly where his final qualifying performance had been compromised.
“It’s a shame because in Q3 I made two big mistakes, particularly at Turns 5 and 9, and I lost a lot of time. Without them, we would have been much closer and fighting for a better position, but tomorrow I’m starting on the front row.”
George Russell penalty promotes Kimi Antonelli to Brazilian GP front row
Although Antonelli finished qualifying in third place, he will start Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix alongside Lando Norris on the front row. His promotion comes as a consequence of the five-place grid penalty imposed on Mercedes team-mate George Russell following the replacement of his internal combustion engine.
Antonelli will therefore gain one position on the starting grid and line up on the inside alongside the McLaren driver. At Interlagos, that starting position can sometimes provide an advantage when attacking into the first braking zone.
The development represents an important opportunity for Antonelli, who arrives in Brazil having already secured the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship in Mexico. Despite achieving the biggest objective of his career, the Mercedes driver remains determined to add another victory to his remarkable season.
Brazilian GP rain forecast could complicate Mercedes’ race plans
Weather conditions remain one of the biggest uncertainties ahead of Sunday’s race. The forecasts suggest that rain could return to Interlagos, potentially producing another unpredictable contest in which the competitive order changes as track conditions evolve.
One of the particular challenges of racing in São Paulo is how quickly the amount of water on the circuit can change. Conditions can move from a dry track to those requiring full wet tyres within just a few minutes, making it difficult for drivers and teams to anticipate the best approach.
The possibility of heavy rain also raises questions about tyre management and changing grip levels, with Interlagos’ tyre demands and the threat of heavy rain adding further complexity to the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Mercedes W17 race pace gives Antonelli confidence for Brazilian GP victory
Antonelli appeared to be the driver to beat during Friday practice, setting the benchmark both over a single lap and during the race simulations. The Italian quickly established a good feeling with the Interlagos circuit, where he had also been particularly competitive during the previous season.
Although understeer affected several drivers across the field, the Mercedes W17 demonstrated an effective overall balance. The car performed well through both the faster and slower sections of the circuit, allowing Antonelli to extract strong performance without encountering the same balance difficulties experienced by some of his rivals.
That combination of stability and speed was one of Mercedes’ greatest strengths on Friday. It also explains why a dry race could suit Antonelli particularly well, allowing him to build on a set-up that has already proved competitive.
Rain would introduce additional uncertainty, but the Italian believes he has learned valuable lessons from qualifying and will be better prepared if Sunday’s race takes place in similarly difficult conditions.
Kimi Antonelli confident of fighting for victory in wet or dry conditions
Reflecting on his performance throughout the weekend, Antonelli acknowledged that he had been particularly comfortable in the dry. In qualifying, however, he deliberately avoided taking unnecessary risks because of the difficult conditions, admitting that he had not always been driving at his absolute limit.
“I have to say that I’ve felt very good in the dry throughout the weekend. From the very first lap, I felt comfortable and had a lot of confidence,” Antonelli explained.
“In the wet, I didn’t want to make mistakes, and that’s perhaps why I wasn’t driving at 100%, but I learned a lot from this session. Tomorrow, if it’s wet, I’ll be much better prepared.”
The Mercedes driver made it clear that he is not particularly concerned about which conditions await him on race day. While dry weather would provide greater confidence based on his Friday performance, Antonelli believes Mercedes can remain competitive even if the rain returns.
“In the end, either way is fine. Tomorrow we’ll try to be ready for any conditions. I’m certainly very confident in the dry, but I’m sure that even if it’s wet, we’ll be able to fight for it.”
Having already demonstrated his ability to deliver under championship pressure, Antonelli now has an opportunity to challenge for another Brazilian Grand Prix victory from the front row. His qualifying mistakes may have prevented him from fighting more closely for pole position, but his strong Friday performance and improved starting position provide encouragement ahead of Sunday’s race.
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