Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli faced a frustrating qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix, finishing fourth behind team-mate George Russell’s pole position in a performance he acknowledges was hindered by his own emotions. Despite showing pace throughout the event, Antonelli revealed that tension and overdriving prevented him from securing a front-row start.
Antonelli Reflects on Emotional Struggles During Qualifying
Antonelli openly admitted that his feelings got the better of him during the qualification rounds. After setting a pace strong enough to challenge for the front row, he described how pressure caused him to become tense, leading to mistakes. “My emotion took over,” he said.
“And I just started to drive a bit tense, because I felt I had a real shot to at least front row – because we were quick. But then I started to overdrive.”
He shared how he progressively pushed harder, taking corners at speeds beyond the limit, which ultimately compromised his lap times.
“I started to push more and more. Starting to carry a lot of speed into the corners. But just, it was too much over the limit.”
A Challenging Run Through All Three Qualifying Sessions
The weekend began with difficulties for Antonelli in Q1. He narrowly avoided elimination after having to abandon his first flying lap. A stewards’ inquiry assessed a potential impediment involving Carlos Sainz, but the investigation concluded that no wrongdoing occurred, as Sainz was exiting the pits while Antonelli had overshot the first corner, forcing an awkward approach.
This incident left Antonelli with pressure to deliver on his subsequent lap, which he managed by setting the fifth fastest time in Q1 to progress. However, the pattern of near-misses and errors continued in Q2. His initial timed lap was invalidated after breaching track limits at Turns 1 and 2. On his second attempt, he matched a pace near that of Russell’s eventual best except for a costly ‘moment’ at Turn 13, which shaved half a second from his overall time. Despite this, Antonelli recovered to place third fastest heading into Q3.
Struggles Intensify in Final Qualifying Segment
In Q3, Russell continued to improve his lap times, extending his advantage, while Antonelli’s pace faltered. His first flying lap in the session was slower than both his Q2 best and his initial Q3 effort. Antonelli described his strong feeling in Q1 and Q2 but acknowledged that Q3 was disappointing.
“You know, it was good. Well, Q3 wasn’t good. Q1 and Q2, I felt strong, because… Lap one, I had traffic [Sainz], and then I felt a bit under pressure, because I didn’t have a lap on the board. But then we were able to deliver a strong lap.”
He also stressed how a significant moment on his second Q2 lap cost time, yet allowed him to remain among the top qualifiers.
“And then Q2, I was feeling really good in the car. I had a big moment on lap two, where I lost quite a bit of time, but we were still P2 or P3 after the session.”
The driver reflected on the emotional toll during Q3, highlighting unnecessary risks in corners where calmness was needed most.
“And then, yeah, Q3, I just… I think I let the emotion… It was a shame, because I looked at the data, and most of the corners were quicker, also compared to Q2. But in those few corners, I just pushed too much. And [they] were corners where I didn’t have to push anymore.”
Data Reveals Points of Time Loss in the Final Runs
Telemetry showed Antonelli braking and releasing the throttle later in several corners on his first Q3 lap compared to Q2. Although he was more aggressive in parts of the track, he spent more time braking into Turn 18 and was slower to apply throttle smoothly. Overall, this resulted in a lap time only improving by 0.112 seconds compared to his Q2 run, less than expected, especially considering he had gained about three-tenths through Turns 16 and 17.
During his second flying lap in Q3, Antonelli temporarily improved by 0.323 seconds over his Q2 time by midsector at Turn 6, which would have put him just ahead of Max Verstappen and on the front row. Unfortunately, his efforts unraveled afterward as he overcommitted at Turn 7, lost speed despite recovery attempts, and took excessive risks through Turn 10 and the following complex. This resulted in a time loss between Turns 13 and 14, finishing the lap 0.112 seconds slower overall.
Antonelli Expresses Disappointment at Unfulfilled Potential
Despite his strong pace showing, Antonelli’s emotional approach and errors left him frustrated by the missed opportunity.
“We were already quick [in the second Q3 flying lap],”
he said.
“And I just lost it all. It was a shame. I feel disappointed, because the potential was a lot higher.”
Implications for Mercedes and What to Expect Next
While Russell’s pole demonstrates Mercedes’ pace potential at the Singapore GP, Antonelli’s experience highlights the challenges young drivers face in handling pressure during critical moments. His candid admission underscores the fine margins that separate success from setbacks in Formula 1 qualifying.
Moving forward, Antonelli will look to translate his raw speed into consistency and composure under pressure, which will be essential for converting qualifying performance into race results. Mercedes’ strong pace this weekend offers optimism for both drivers, but Antonelli’s self-critique signals a determination to improve as he gains experience.
