Kimi Antonelli opens up on his Barcelona qualifying struggle

It is a rare sight this season: Kimi Antonelli is starting off the front row. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver qualified third at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a result that puts his usual momentum to the test. While teammate George Russell surged to pole, Antonelli conceded that he has been “overdriving the car” in the face of tricky, slippery, and hot conditions.

Antonelli's weekend was immediately complicated by missing FP1, with reserve driver Fred Vesti stepping in, followed by traffic issues during FP3. The championship leader, currently holding a 66-point cushion, noted that the tyres have been “running away a little bit” from him, making it a challenge to extract maximum single-lap pace.

Still, the young driver remains focused on the long road to Turn 1 on Sunday. He is optimistic that his race pace will hold up, especially after feeling good during FP2. If he manages the heavy tyre degradation expected in the heat, he believes his third-place grid slot offers a fair chance to fight forward.