With his second-place finish celebrated in São Paulo, Kimi Antonelli capped off an almost perfect weekend in Brazil. The only blemish was the aggressive move on Oscar Piastri, which caused Charles Leclerc’s retirement, an incident that could have sent Kimi to the back of the field. Nevertheless, the Italian is experiencing the best period of his Formula 1 career, thanks to personal maturation supported by several external factors.
The best weekend of the year
More than the result itself, what impressed most about Antonelli’s Brazilian weekend was the context in which he excelled. Kimi stood out from Friday, securing a front-row position with only one practice session and without ever using the soft tires before Q3 — a condition equal for everyone, yet potentially trickier for a debutant. He confirmed his pace in qualifying the following day, on a track that remained slippery all weekend, further complicated by morning rain and gusty winds.
On Saturday at Interlagos, wind speeds reached up to 35 km/h in the opposite direction from Friday, pushing cars at the braking zone for turn 1, where several drivers locked up. According to Pirelli’s calculations, the first three corners alone were half a second slower than the day before. The inconsistent gusts added another challenge, changing the car balance lap by lap and forcing constant adaptation in corner approach.
The conditions made mistakes easy, potentially creating a vicious circle where sliding overheated the tires, further reducing grip. In this scenario, Antonelli skillfully maintained composure, avoiding the excessive aggression he had shown in Singapore. Beyond his exceptional sensitivity at the wheel, Kimi also demonstrated impressive weekend intelligence, opting not to use the predictable medium tires in qualifying — chosen instead by his teammate — conserving them for the race where they proved the only viable option among all compounds.
The advantage of racing outside Europe
Interlagos was only the latest stage in a period, from October onward, where Antonelli noticeably improved his performances. This might seem paradoxical since the Italian performed better on completely unfamiliar tracks while struggling on European circuits. However, racing on previously known circuits does not always provide an advantage. Young drivers note that the performance leap from Formula 2 to Formula 1 is so significant that a familiar track feels almost new, with different braking references and more. Starting fresh on an unknown track can help a debutant, allowing them to approach it without unlearning prior assumptions.
It should also be remembered that during the European season, Kimi Antonelli, with only half of his current experience, had to contend with a car that didn’t suit him. The main issue was the new rear suspension introduced by Mercedes at Imola, which negatively impacted the W16’s stability. Kimi struggled more to adapt to these changes compared to George Russell, given his more aggressive corner-entry style that tends to unsettle the car and requires a stable rear. Once the team reverted to the older rear suspension, Antonelli regained a more stable car, with the slight understeer that had characterized the W16 at the start of the season — a crucial trait for a debutant seeking confidence in the car.
The right approach
Even after the suspension adjustment, Kimi Antonelli’s results were not impressive until the end of the European season. In Budapest, a sudden rain shower during qualifying compromised his weekend, while at Zandvoort and Monza he could only blame himself. In both cases, Friday practice incidents had hindered his preparation, reflecting his willingness to adopt a more aggressive weekend approach.
After the first third of the season, Kimi realized he had been overly cautious in free practice, possibly due to the FP1 mistake during his absolute debut in Monza 2024. As a result, he entered qualifying with too many unknowns, having not fully explored grip limits in different track areas. While he had previously been too aggressive between Zandvoort and Monza, the autumn period appears to have helped him find the right compromise in his approach, culminating in his recent strong performances.
Another important factor was that after Monza, Mercedes stopped introducing major upgrades, providing technical stability that greatly aided a debutant. “Having the same car consistently helps you gain confidence and understand its behavior,” Kimi Antonelli commented in August. All these elements contributed to Kimi’s peak form at the time he was racing outside Europe.
Looking toward Las Vegas
The Mercedes team played a central role in Kimi Antonelli’s double second-place finish in Brazil. The Brackley squad arrived at Interlagos with a solid setup base, requiring minimal adjustments after parc fermé opened following the Sprint, unlike other top teams. They capitalized on the absence of high-speed corners, historically challenging for Mercedes, and on a mix of track and environmental conditions that helped keep tire temperatures low, aligning with the W16’s strengths.
Even more extreme temperatures are expected during the Las Vegas night race, the next event on the calendar, where last year the Silver Arrows achieved a one-two finish. The Nevada circuit, full of slow, tight corners preceded by heavy braking zones, emphasizes one of the W16’s strengths. It is an amplified version of Baku and Montreal, circuits that exposed McLaren’s weaknesses but suited Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli could even aim for his first Formula 1 victory alongside George Russell, though the competition will be strong, starting with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, who has shown dominance on low-downforce tracks.
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