World championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli admitted that his performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix felt as cautious as "driving like his grandmother" because he was missing confidence on the demanding Baku City Circuit. The 20‑year‑old Italian, who entered the weekend with a comfortable lead in the standings, managed to turn a difficult race into a respectable fifth‑place finish after starting from 16th on the grid. His climb up the field was hampered by a crash in qualifying and a series of technical setbacks that limited his time in practice, yet he still recovered enough to keep his championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell at 66 points after Russell claimed victory. Antonelli’s season has been marked by remarkable consistency.
He has built a dominant points cushion through a string of podiums and a spectacular win at his home race in Monza, where he started 19th and surged to first place. In Baku, however, the young driver found the street‑style track far more unforgiving. "I was driving a bit like my grandmother today, just damage‑save mode," he explained after the race.
"I didn’t take any risks. Before I attempted a move, I made sure I could actually pull it off." The Baku circuit is notorious for its long straight, tight hairpins and narrow sections that demand both outright speed and precise car control.
Antonelli missed a substantial portion of the practice sessions because of recurring technical issues with his car, leaving him with limited data and confidence in the setup. When the race began, he dropped a position off the start line and spent the first 17 laps carefully navigating through traffic, gradually working his way into the top ten.
During the race, a series of incidents further complicated his progress. A safety‑car period led to two rolling restarts, and on the first restart Antonelli narrowly avoided a multi‑car collision that eliminated three competitors. He also endured contact with Oliver Bearman's Haas, which stripped the left side of his car and caused extensive floor damage.
"After the restart, I had big floor damage. My whole left side was gone with the contact," Antonelli said. "The car was very sketchy to drive, but I still tried to get to P4. In the end, it was one of those days where you have to be happy with P5." Antonelli noted that the race dynamics changed quickly.
The field was bunched together in an "overtake mode" that made passing extremely difficult, and his car lacked the pace he had demonstrated at Monza and earlier rounds. "If I had the same pace as at Monza or in previous races, it would have been different," he reflected.
"It would have been a full‑on attack. But today I realized very early that overtaking would be a lot harder with a train of cars all trying to pass, and I didn’t have the same speed, so my mindset shifted almost immediately." Despite the setbacks, Antonelli capitalized on the mistakes of drivers ahead of him.
As rivals faltered, he seized the opportunity to climb higher, eventually finishing fifth. He described the race as a lesson in patience and opportunism: "Seeing so many people making mistakes, you kind of pull back a little because I just took advantage of everyone else’s errors and moved forward." The weekend also highlighted George Russell’s resurgence. The Mercedes driver delivered his most complete performance since the season‑opening Australian Grand Prix, securing a win that would have been even more dominant without the intermittent safety‑car interruptions.
Russell’s strong showing, combined with his own championship battle, adds another layer of intrigue as the season progresses. Looking ahead, Antonelli does not have to wait long for his next opportunity to score points. The following race in the triple‑header will be the Bahrain Grand Prix, now being staged at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
This shift brings a fresh challenge and a chance for Antonelli to regain momentum. Antonelli remains a heavy favourite for the title, especially as Russell faces a potential grid penalty for an engine change later in the year. The Italian’s confidence in his ability to clinch the championship stayed positive despite the Baku disappointment.
"It’s exciting," he told Sky Sports F1. "George has done an incredible weekend, he’s driven incredibly. He had a lot of confidence.
This weekend was my worst of the year by far in terms of performance. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t really present, especially with what happened so early on." Formula 1’s return to Malaysia marks the first time the sport has visited the country since 2017, with the Sepang International Circuit hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix under a new name.
Fans can watch live coverage on Sky Sports F1 and stream via NOW without a long‑term contract. The upcoming race promises to test the adaptability of both Antonelli and his rivals as they navigate a new track layout, weather conditions, and the ever‑tightening championship battle.