Wolff 'Very Positively Surprised' by Antonelli's Monaco FP3 Pace

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli topped FP3 at the Monaco Grand Prix, outpacing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by over three-tenths. Team boss Toto Wolff admitted he was "very positively surprised" by the Italian's pace, while teammate George Russell lagged nearly eight-tenths behind in fourth. The result sets up a fascinating qualifying battle as Mercedes looks to bounce back from Russell's Canada retirement.

Why it matters:

• Antonelli's pace on the unforgiving Monte Carlo streets shows he is adapting faster than expected to Formula 1's elite level.
• The big gap to Russell highlights ongoing struggles for the Briton, who retired from the lead in Canada with an engine issue and still lacks full confidence in the car.
• Wolff's comments signal Mercedes is treating Antonelli as a genuine competitive asset, not merely a work-in-progress.

The details:

• Antonelli set a 1m12.720s, 0.327s ahead of Leclerc and 0.763s clear of Russell in fourth.
• Wolff noted Leclerc had been "there or thereabouts" before a mistake at Turn 10, confirming Ferrari remains a major pole threat.
• Russell still didn't feel fully comfortable with the Mercedes, according to Wolff, giving him clear areas to address before qualifying.
• Mercedes identified the failure that ended Russell's Montreal race but is not yet 100% sure of the root cause as it works on containment.

What's next:

Qualifying begins at 4pm local time Saturday, with Antonelli hoping to carry his speed to the front row. Russell must close the gap to avoid an intra-team deficit at a circuit where passing is nearly impossible. Mercedes needs a clean session to prove the FP3 pace is sustainable, not just a fleeting headline.