Kimi Antonelli says “P2 was the maximum we could have achieved” as Mercedes work continues

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Kimi Antonelli believes his second-place finish was the “maximum we could have achieved” at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, even as he extended his advantage in the Drivers’ Championship. Antonelli scored P2 after starting third on the grid from Sepang, leaving him 84 points clear at the top of the standings, with team mate George Russell and rival Max Verstappen shaping the race’s key moments. Antonelli said his tyre choice at lights out—intermediate tyres for the mixed conditions—proved decisive. He took Verstappen on the run down to Turn 1, moving into the lead early in the race. The advantage was then complicated by the first Safety Car, which was brought out after Valtteri Bottas beached his car in the gravel, and Antonelli admitted that after the restart he had to fight to maintain second. According to Antonelli, Verstappen regained control after the restart and then Russell challenged him for the runner-up position. Antonelli maintained P2 through to the finish, but the race ultimately ended early for Russell when his car was forced to retire on Lap 50 with a suspected power unit failure behind another Safety Car. Antonelli described that outcome as a significant blow to Russell’s title chances and to Mercedes’ prospects in the race. Speaking to the media after the Grand Prix, Antonelli said Mercedes still has to improve: the team was “struggling” and “still have work to do.” He added he was satisfied to come away with second to Verstappen and said, “I think today was the maximum we could have done.” He also sent congratulations to Verstappen and Red Bull for what he called an “incredible weekend,” while reiterating that Mercedes needs to address ongoing performance and reliability concerns. Antonelli also explained his view of the race progression after being asked about his result. He said that after the start he believed the team could have challenged for a win, but that following the restart both Verstappen and Russell passed him. Once Antonelli regained P2, he maintained that position for the remainder of the race and characterized the finishing order as what his team deserved that day. On Russell’s DNF, Antonelli called it disappointing for his team mate and for Mercedes overall. He said it was “a big shame” because it would have been a strong result for the team, but warned that Mercedes has “been suffering from this reliability this year.” Antonelli added that he expects the team to determine what caused the issue and ensure it does not recur. Russell’s retirement at Sepang marked his second mechanical DNF of the season, following a failure to finish in Canada. Antonelli, meanwhile, previously had to retire from the Grand Prix in Barcelona due to a power unit problem, underscoring that reliability has been a recurring theme across Mercedes’ campaign. Despite holding a large championship lead, Antonelli said he is not taking anything for granted. He linked how he approaches each race weekend to reliability concerns, arguing that it is important, especially when on track and dealing with controllable factors, to do his best because mechanical issues can determine outcomes. He framed reliability as the reason Mercedes must be ready, race by race, to protect results from technical setbacks.

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