Andrea Kimi Antonelli believes Mercedes has a genuine opportunity to secure pole position for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix after finishing fastest in FP2 at Interlagos. The newly crowned Formula 1 world champion was particularly encouraged by the performance of his W17 over a single lap, finishing approximately two tenths ahead of Lando Norris despite some persistent understeer problems. However, Antonelli admitted that Mercedes still has work to do on its race pace before the remainder of the weekend.
The stopwatch remains the ultimate judge in Formula 1, and once again it delivered a positive verdict for the Italian driver. Antonelli topped the second free practice session in Brazil ahead of a McLaren featuring an updated floor and redesigned front wing, components that anticipate some of the concepts expected to appear on the team’s 2027 car. More encouraging than the advantage itself, however, was the way Mercedes managed to produce that performance across different sections of the circuit.
Why Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes were so competitive in Brazilian GP FP2
Although Mercedes has continued to struggle with the understeer that emerged following the introduction of its upgraded package in Malaysia, the W17 demonstrated strong performance through several different types of corner at Interlagos. Rather than relying on an advantage in one particular section, Antonelli was competitive across a broader range of conditions, suggesting that the car has established a reasonably effective overall balance.
That provides Mercedes with a promising foundation as its engineers continue refining the set-up throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. The remaining understeer still requires attention, but the telemetry indicates that the car’s fundamental performance is strong enough to make pole position a realistic target.
Antonelli was particularly competitive through Turns 7 and 8, where aerodynamic downforce and the ability to maintain speed through the corners are essential. However, the Mercedes driver also performed well through the slower Turn 9, a section that presents a very different technical challenge.
That part of the circuit is particularly demanding because the W17 tends to develop mid-corner understeer, while drivers must carefully manage the rear of the car on corner exit to avoid overheating the tyres. Mercedes therefore has to find a compromise between improving front-end response and maintaining sufficient rear stability.
“I felt good in the car over a single lap. There’s still a bit of work to do on the race pace, but the feeling is good and I’m excited for tomorrow,” Antonelli explained after practice.
Mercedes targets pole position as unpredictable Interlagos weather adds uncertainty
Starting from pole position would represent an important advantage for Antonelli, not simply because it would place him ahead of his rivals, but also because it could allow him to control the pace of the race. That could prove particularly valuable given the uncertain weather forecast for both Saturday and Sunday, with rain potentially disrupting the on-track action.
Cloud cover during Friday’s running caused track temperatures to fall, making it more difficult for several teams to bring their tyres into the correct operating window. The problem was especially noticeable with the front tyres, and Ferrari was among the teams that struggled most with the conditions.
The combination of low grip, changing temperatures and the possibility of rain could make tyre management particularly important throughout the weekend. The specific tyre challenges at Interlagos, including the demands of Curva do Sol and the risk of heavy rain, add another layer of complexity to the battle for qualifying and race performance.
Nevertheless, Antonelli remains optimistic. Having already demonstrated impressive speed and execution at Interlagos last season, the Italian believes Mercedes has the necessary ingredients to challenge for the fastest qualifying lap.
“I think we have a good opportunity, but we’re all very close together. McLaren is strong too. Red Bull is quick, so we’ll simply try to do our best to arrive prepared. We’ll also see how the weather develops, but I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” Antonelli added enthusiastically.
Mercedes W17 upgrade brings more downforce but understeer remains a problem
Following his historic Formula 1 world championship victory in Mexico, Antonelli has no intention of settling for what he has already achieved. Instead, the objective is to keep pushing and enter the winter break knowing that the Mercedes W17 has not reached the limit of its development potential.
That is particularly important because the latest upgrade package has delivered a substantial increase in downforce while also introducing difficulties in extracting its full performance. Finding the correct set-up window has therefore become a crucial part of Mercedes’ work, with the team still trying to understand how best to exploit the additional aerodynamic load.
Interlagos is a circuit where the relatively low grip of the asphalt often plays a decisive role. These are precisely the types of conditions in which Antonelli has repeatedly demonstrated an advantage over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, both during the previous season and throughout 2026.
The Italian has often shown an ability to extract the available performance from the car on low-grip circuits, making his strong start to the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend particularly encouraging.
“This track is a lot of fun to drive. The grip level is still quite low, but I’m trying to do my best.”
Kimi Antonelli explains braking mistake during Brazilian GP race simulation
Despite his impressive single-lap performance, Antonelli did make a mistake during his long run, locking up under braking into the first corner. He was far from the only driver to encounter difficulties in that area, with several cars arriving at the braking zone with smoking tyres during practice.
Part of the problem is that tyre temperatures fall along the preceding long straight, partly because of the new regulations governing energy management and the opening of the car’s aerodynamic wings. The section also features a slight gradient and several bumps on corner entry, making it difficult to judge the ideal braking point.
As grip gradually improves, drivers naturally attempt to brake later, but the uneven surface makes that approach particularly demanding. Antonelli acknowledged that he had been trying to extract slightly more performance when he exceeded the available grip.
“The track is quite bumpy at that point, so it’s not easy to find the right braking point. Obviously, as the grip improves, you try to brake later and later, but the bumps in the asphalt make everything more complicated. It’s also difficult to manage the pressure on the brake pedal, so it’s not straightforward. I was trying to find a little bit more, but in the end I overdid it slightly,” Antonelli explained.
Although the mistake highlighted the challenges of managing the W17 over longer runs, Mercedes can take considerable encouragement from its qualifying performance. Antonelli’s pace through both high-downforce and slower corners suggests that the car has a competitive foundation, while further adjustments could help address the remaining balance and tyre management issues.
For the Mercedes world champion, the immediate priority is clear: build on Friday’s promising performance, improve the car’s behaviour over longer distances and maximise the opportunity to secure pole position at Interlagos.
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