The weekend has been far from straightforward for the championship leader, who was forced to miss his scheduled media commitments on Thursday due to a virus. Despite the physical setback and the weight of expectation surrounding his title bid, Antonelli remains in a strong position to secure the championship crown at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Title within reach despite qualifying struggles
To guarantee his maiden drivers' title—which would mark Italy’s first championship win since Alberto Ascari in 1953—Antonelli simply needs to finish in the top nine on Sunday. This requirement holds true regardless of the results achieved by his closest challengers, Mercedes teammate
Reflecting on his performance during the final qualifying session, the young driver acknowledged that he was not at his best. He noted difficulty in finding a rhythm with his tyres during Q3, which led to a series of errors that prevented him from securing a higher grid position. He openly confessed that the magnitude of the weekend has contributed to an unusual level of anxiety.
“I struggled to get a good feeling with the tyres in Q3,” Antonelli said. “I just didn’t have the most confidence, and I was feeling a bit tense, I’m not going to lie. It’s just been a poor lap, many mistakes here and there, but overall I’m still P4 and there is a lot to play for tomorrow.”
Hamilton and Russell lead the grid
While Antonelli manages his nerves, his rivals have set a formidable pace at the front. Lewis Hamilton secured his 105th career pole position—a new record and his first since joining Ferrari—while George Russell will start alongside him in second. Both drivers currently trail Antonelli by 124 and 123 points respectively, keeping their slim mathematical hopes alive.
Antonelli remains focused on the task ahead, despite still recovering from his recent illness. “It hasn’t been the easiest weekend to be fair and I’m still not feeling 100%,” he added. “The thought of what could happen now is here, and I’m definitely a bit more tense than usual.”
