World Championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli admitted that his performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix felt as if he were "driving like his grandmother" – a candid way of describing his lack of confidence on the demanding Baku City Circuit. The 20‑year‑old Italian, who entered the weekend as the points leader, managed a respectable recovery after a qualifying crash left him starting from 16th on the grid.
By the end of the race he had climbed back into the top five, finishing fifth, while his Mercedes teammate George Russell seized the win and trimmed Antonelli's lead to 66 points. Antonelli’s season has been marked by extraordinary consistency. Since the start of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign he has built a sizable gap over his rivals, showcasing a blend of speed, composure and race‑craft that belies his age.
However, the Baku event proved a stumbling block. Technical difficulties with his Alpine car meant he missed a substantial portion of the practice sessions, leaving him without the data and confidence he usually relies on to attack a circuit as unforgiving as Baku.
"I was driving a bit like my grandmother today, just damage‑save mode," Antonelli explained after the race. "I didn’t take any risks. Before I made a move, I had to be absolutely sure I could pull it off." His self‑deprecating comment highlighted a mindset of caution rather than aggression – a stark contrast to the bold, full‑throttle approach that had characterized his earlier victories, such as the dramatic home win at Monza where he rose from 19th to first place. The contrast between the two races was stark.
In Monza, Antonelli’s car was on the same pace as his competitors, allowing him to launch a relentless attack from the back of the grid. In Baku, he found himself struggling to match that speed.
"If I had the same pace as at Monza or in previous races, things would have been very different," he said. "It would have been an all‑out attack.
But early on I realised overtaking was going to be far harder with a train of cars all in Overtake Mode, and I didn’t have the same pace, so my mindset changed quickly." The race itself unfolded with a series of twists that tested Antonelli’s patience and skill. After dropping a position at the start, he spent the first 17 laps methodically working his way back into the top ten. He capitalised on mistakes made by drivers ahead, steadily gaining ground.
A critical moment came during the first of two rolling restarts after a safety‑car period, when a multi‑car incident eliminated three competitors. Antonelli avoided the chaos, but not without sustaining contact with Haas driver Oliver Bearman, which left his car with significant floor damage on the left side. "After the restart, I had big floor damage. My whole left side was gone with the contact," Antonelli recounted.
"The car became very sketchy to drive, yet I kept pushing for P4. In the end, it was one of those days where you have to be happy with P5. Seeing so many people make mistakes, I pulled back a little and simply took advantage of everyone else's errors to move forward." Despite the setbacks, Antonelli’s outlook remained optimistic. He knows the championship is far from decided, especially as Russell will face a grid penalty later in the season for an engine change, potentially handing Antonelli an advantage.
The Italian champion also has the benefit of a quick return to the track, with the next round – a triple‑header finale in Bahrain – scheduled for the following weekend at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, a venue that has not hosted a Grand Prix since 2017. Russell, meanwhile, delivered what many are calling his most complete weekend since the opening race in Australia. His victory in Baku was dominant, though it was briefly interrupted by safety‑car periods that compressed the field and added an extra layer of strategy.
Antonelli praised his rival’s performance, noting that George had shown “incredible confidence” and “incredible driving” throughout the weekend. Reflecting on his own performance, Antonelli described the Baku race as “the worst of the year in terms of performance.” He felt disconnected from the car early on, a sentiment amplified by the early‑stage incidents that forced him into a defensive posture. Yet he remains a favourite for the title, buoyed by his strong points haul so far and the expectation that his team will resolve the technical gremlins that plagued him in Azerbaijan. Looking ahead, Antonelli is eager to regroup and attack the upcoming Bahrain race with renewed vigor.
"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." The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the first race in Malaysia since 2017, and it promises to be a crucial test for both title contenders. With the championship still wide open and the calendar featuring several more high‑stakes events, Antonelli’s candid admission of caution in Baku underscores the fine line between aggression and prudence that every driver must navigate on the road to the world title.