‘Feel like it was a good recovery’ – Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Reflect on Practice Ahead of 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Antonelli Overcomes Mechanical Setbacks to Stay in Contention

Kimi Antonelli entered the Baku weekend with a commanding 81-point lead in the drivers’ standings following his victory in Madrid, but Thursday’s running presented an immediate test of resilience. The Mercedes driver suffered a hydraulic issue aboard his W15 approaching the midpoint of Free Practice 1, abruptly ending his participation in the one-hour session. The team was then forced to fit a new power unit due to fire damage, sidelining the Italian for the entire first half of FP2.

Strong Pace Despite Limited Track Time

Even with the severely curtailed programme, Antonelli posted competitive times, finishing fifth fastest in FP1 and second quickest in FP2. His teammate, George Russell, demonstrated the car’s underlying potential by topping both sessions, finishing more than half a second clear of Antonelli in the afternoon. Speaking after the day’s running, Antonelli remained upbeat about the team’s efforts to maximize the available laps.

“We tried to do the max with what we had. Obviously lost quite a few laps in FP1 and then missing half of FP2 is never ideal, especially on a street circuit,” said Antonelli.

“Overall I feel like it was a good recovery. I feel quite good in the car, obviously a few things to work on but looking forward to tomorrow.”

Mercedes Braces for Tighter Competition as Rivals Introduce Upgrades

While the FP2 timesheets painted a rosy picture for the Silver Arrows, Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord struck a note of caution. He highlighted that major competitors have introduced significant development packages for the Azerbaijan round, which he expects will compress the field once qualifying and the Grand Prix commence.

“We’ve seen competitors bring pretty big update packages if you look at McLaren, Red Bull as well. They’ll be absolutely in the mix, I don’t think the gaps at the top after FP2 were representative of the true gaps in performance,” he said.

“I think everything will be much closer once we’re all running the same number of laps on the tyres.”

“We hope to be in the mix, we should be in the mix on a low-drag circuit like this having performed really strongly at Monza but we’ll have our work cut out to get on pole.”

Why This Matters

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix represents a critical junction in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Baku’s unique street circuit layout—combining a low-drag straight with a twisty, castle section—places a premium on both raw power and mechanical grip, making it a strong indicator of each team’s development trajectory. For Antonelli, converting his championship lead into a clean weekend amid reliability gremlins would be a significant psychological blow to his rivals. For Mercedes, the weekend serves as a litmus test for their low-drag aerodynamic philosophy after a dominant showing at Monza. With McLaren and Red Bull deploying substantial upgrade packages, the competitive order established in Friday practice is widely expected to shuffle dramatically once engine modes are turned up and fuel loads are normalized for qualifying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What mechanical issues did Kimi Antonelli face during Friday practice in Baku?

Antonelli suffered a hydraulic failure in FP1 that ended his session early. The team subsequently discovered fire damage requiring a full power unit change, causing him to miss the first half of FP2.

How did Antonelli perform despite the limited running?

Despite completing only half of the available practice laps, Antonelli finished fifth in FP1 and second in FP2, demonstrating strong underlying pace on the street circuit.

Why does Mercedes expect the competition to be closer in qualifying and the race?

Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord noted that rivals McLaren and Red Bull have brought significant upgrade packages to Baku. He believes the FP2 gaps are not representative because teams were running different programmes, tyre strategies, and fuel loads, and that the field will compress once everyone runs comparable specifications in qualifying.