Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli battles wind and tricky Baku conditions. Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli impresses in Baku qualifying.

Kimi Antonelli faces the wind and challenges of Baku qualifying

Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivered an impressive performance in the qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes rookie shared his approach to tackling the challenging session on Saturday in Baku.

The qualifying sessions were heavily affected by multiple red flags, gusty winds, and intermittent rain. Even experienced drivers such as Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon struggled and made mistakes under the tricky conditions. Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli explained how he managed to stay focused despite the unpredictable environment.

For tomorrow’s race, the young Italian talent will start from fourth position, alongside Liam Lawson and ahead of his Mercedes teammate George Russell. Since the beginning of the season, Mercedes has historically performed best when track temperatures are moderate rather than high. In Baku, during Q2, the asphalt temperatures were initially favorable for the Brackley team, until the rain and wind made the surface increasingly slippery.

Track difficulties

After qualifying in Baku, Andrea Kimi Antonelli spoke to accredited media, including GP-News.net: “The performance has been solid all weekend, and the biggest difference was that I managed to complete full sessions and build my rhythm, so I felt ready for qualifying. Today, however, the conditions were really difficult because of the wind. The wind was like a washing machine: many unpredictable gusts coming from all directions.”

The Mercedes rookie admitted he made a few small errors that cost him some positions on the grid: “I’m happy but also a bit disappointed, especially with my final lap. At the end of that lap, I struggled with a strong headwind and lost two or three tenths. But in the end, the conditions were the same for everyone. Sometimes you can get a bit lucky with the wind, other times less so.”

Beyond the wind, seeing other drivers hit the barriers can create additional stress. Kimi Antonelli added: “You feel just how difficult the conditions are, and it’s easy to lose focus and start worrying. You know you have no margin for error. That’s why sometimes I prefer not to watch what’s happening to others, because once I’m on track, I might not push to the maximum simply out of fear of making mistakes.”