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Kimi Antonelli is hoping to bounce back from a difficult Mexico City Grand Prix qualifying session with a good night’s rest after admitting that Formula 1 championship pressure has caused him to drive with unwanted tension.
Qualifying Struggles and Grid Position
The Italian driver finished just 0.001 seconds behind Lando Norris during free practice three earlier in the day. However, during qualifying, he lagged half a step behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell and struggled to find confidence throughout the session.
Antonelli used extra preparation laps during qualifying to build tire temperatures, whereas Russell skipped this step on his final Q3 run to secure a spot near the front. Ultimately, Lewis Hamilton edged out his former team-mate by just 0.009 seconds to claim his first pole position for Ferrari and the 105th of his Formula 1 career.
Fatigue and Championship Pressure
Compounding his on-track challenges, Antonelli has battled illness over the weekend. He missed media duties on Thursday due to a fever and continues to lack energy, noting that constant talk about the F1 title has heightened his stress.
As reported by Autosport.com, Antonelli stated that he feels very tired and has not fully recovered. He noted that he felt more tense than usual because people constantly remind him of the championship situation and tell him the title is already secured, leading him to try and block out the noise.
Describing his earlier sickness as severe, featuring a high fever and stomach issues, Antonelli admitted that sleep deprivation caused him to make mistakes and drive cautiously to secure a lap time.
Sunday Strategy and Recovery
Looking ahead to the 71-lap grand prix, Antonelli believes Mercedes may struggle to match Ferrari’s race pace. He emphasized the importance of a clean start through the tricky Turn 1 pinch-point to make up ground from his fourth-place grid spot.
Antonelli mentioned that he plans to use melatonin to secure ten hours of sleep and disconnect by spending time with his family, who have just arrived at the track.
