F1 Leader Antonelli Calls Azerbaijan Weekend the Worst of His Season
- Kimi Antonelli finished fifth in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday after starting 16th on the grid, describing the weekend as his worst performance of the year following a qualifying crash.
- A hydraulics problem during Thursday practice and a qualifying crash hindered the 20-year-old Italian, starkly contrasting his 19th-to-first victory at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month.
- Mercedes teammate George Russell secured his third win of the season, narrowing the championship points gap from 81 to 66 points with the leader.
- Antonelli adopted a "damage-safe mode" during the race, saying he was "always a step behind after missing a lot of practice" due to the setbacks.
- Next weekend in Malaysia offers Antonelli a chance to recover form while pursuing the first Italian Formula One title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
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35 Articles
F1 leader Antonelli calls Azerbaijan weekend the worst of his season
BAKU, Sept 26 : Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli called the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend the worst of his season after recovering to finish fifth in Saturday’s race following a costly qualifying crash that left him starting 16th on the grid.A troubled weekend for Antonelli, that began with a
Radio France Internationale
France24Antonelli says he drove 'safety-first' on his worst weekend of season
The 20-year-old Italian rescued fifth place after starting 16th on the grid, following a crash in qualifying, and said he had driven in a 'safety-first' mode -– unlike his home Italian Grand Prix where he won from 19th on the grid in sensational style. His prudence signalled he was driving with one eye on the title race and wished to avoid joining several other drivers in not finishing the race. "Today is one of those days where you have to be…
George Russell drives alone towards victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - until the safety car comes out and his lead is gone. But Russell keeps his nerves against the rushing Max Verstappen. Kimi Antonelli does damage limitation.
Kimi Antonelli Learns a Valuable Lesson After Finishing Fifth at the 2026 Azerbaijan GP
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