Kimi Antonelli Las Vegas podium, Antonelli best F1 race, and Mercedes F1 performance remain top trends after the rookie delivered a standout drive under pressure. He completed 48 laps on one set of hard tyres and secured a podium after McLaren’s disqualification, helping Mercedes strengthen their hold on P2 in the Constructors’ standings.
Antonelli’s Gamble Turns Into His Most Complete F1 Drive
His rookie season has been unpredictable, and Las Vegas followed that pattern. A Q1 exit pushed him into an aggressive early pit stop on Lap 2 for hard tyres. He then committed to finishing the race on that same set, carefully managing wear, temperature, and traffic.
He first crossed the line in fourth but slipped to fifth due to a penalty. McLaren’s double disqualification later lifted him to third, giving him his third podium of the season. His 14-place climb made it one of his strongest recovery drives so far.
When asked if this was his most complete race, he said: “I think it was, definitely, because we executed everything very well. Obviously the strategy was pretty crazy but we made it stick. It changed the whole race, and the fact that we were able to hold on to that one-stop allowed us to finish where we did at the end.”
He reflected on his growth through the season: “On my side, it was probably the best race of the season so far because in that stint I was able to manage the tyres and put together everything I’ve learned this season. It was nice because it kept coming, and it was good fun.”
Antonelli also acknowledged he wouldn’t have achieved this earlier in the year. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it at the start of the season. The tyre got older lap by lap and I was able to, with the support of the team, react and balance the car, especially in the last few laps. At the start of the season I would have stopped instead of going until the end.”
Mercedes Celebrate Second Double Podium of the Season
George Russell joined Antonelli on the podium after finishing third on track and later rising to second because of McLaren’s exclusion. His weekend, however, was far from smooth. He struggled with a mysterious steering problem in both Qualifying and the race, which affected his cornering.
Despite the issue, the Briton welcomed the points haul. “It was a really good result for us last week in Vegas,” Russell said. “Fortunately, we found the problem that we had with the steering in Qualifying and the race, so I’m glad we’ve found the issue of that.”
Russell believes Mercedes can maintain their advantage in the final rounds. “Great points for us and we’ve got a really good opportunity again this weekend. I think we’ve got the upper hand on Ferrari but of course Max is the man in form at the moment so we can’t take anything for granted.”
Finishing P2 may not be ideal, but Russell sees value in consistency. “If you can’t win, I guess you choose to finish second. It’s not what I dreamt of as a kid but it’s a big recognition of all the hard work we’ve collectively put in. Formula 1 is highly competitive.”
He also praised McLaren’s impressive progress this season. “McLaren have done an insane job this season and to finish P2, to beat Ferrari and Red Bull will be a big achievement for us as a team. We need to try and seal the deal in the next two races, and then of course it’s full focus for 2026.”
Mercedes Aim to Lock P2 Before Turning to 2026
Mercedes hold a 40-point advantage over Red Bull in the Constructors’ Standings. After slipping behind several teams last season, reclaiming P2 would signal a decisive step forward. Antonelli’s breakthrough drive and Russell’s dependable results have put the team in a commanding position for the closing stretch.
With two races left, Mercedes plan to secure P2 quickly and turn their attention toward the major regulation changes for 2026.
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