Formula 1 World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli admits: “I was more nervous than usual”

For Kimi Antonelli, qualifying in Mexico was no ordinary session. The 20-year-old from Bologna knows that he only needs to finish ninth in the race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to clinch the world championship title and be crowned the youngest Formula 1 champion in the sport’s history.

He was therefore “more nervous than usual” during the final practice session, the title contender explained afterwards. “It wasn’t easy to control my emotions, and that obviously played a big part,” he added.

Kimi Antonelli: Too many mistakes in the Mexico qualifying session

And Antonelli didn’t give himself a good mark either. “That wasn’t my best qualifying session today. In Q3, I had trouble finding grip. I couldn’t put together the lap I’d set out to do because I made too many mistakes,” he admitted.

“That’s disappointing, because at the start of the session I felt more comfortable and was hoping we could be in the mix further up the field,” emphasised the Mercedes driver, who will start the 19th Grand Prix of the season from fourth on the grid.

“But anything is still possible,” Antonelli said encouragingly. “The run-up to the first corner is very long here, so it will be important to get off to a good start and stay out of trouble. We’ve also saved a set of soft tyres, which could open up a few options for us in the race. I think we’ve got a good chance of achieving a strong result.”

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Mexico City: Rennen Re-Live

FIA Formula One World Championship

01.11.2026 - 23:15