Kimi Antonelli concedes to mistake that nearly handed George Russell advantage

Kimi Antonelli has admitted to a mistake that nearly handed George Russell a key advantage during a 'messy' Sprint qualifying session in Canada. The Mercedes driver ultimately qualified second, just 0.068s behind his teammate, but the championship leader was languishing in sixth before his final SQ3 lap.

Why it matters:

Antonelli’s error could have allowed Russell to build a crucial gap in the standings. With a 20-point lead at the top, any slip-up gives rivals an opening — especially when Mercedes’ upgraded W17 is showing strong pace around Montreal.

The details:

• Antonelli called his session 'not clean at all' and revealed a mistake in SQ2 'threw me off a little bit.'
• In SQ3, he opted for a single lap on soft tyres without a preparation lap, leaving the rubber 'a bit cold' and compromising his run.
• Despite the messy performance, he ended up second, just 0.068s behind pole-sitter Russell — a margin that highlights both the car’s potential and the driver’s ability to recover.
• The team has introduced an upgrade this weekend, which Antonelli said gives 'three-tenths advantage' in performance but changed the balance, requiring further understanding.

What's next:

Antonelli is confident of improvement for Saturday’s Sprint race. 'We will do better,' he said, acknowledging the need to refine the new package. If he can clean up his session, he stands a strong chance of challenging Russell for the victory — and extending his championship lead.