Kimi Antonelli starts fourth in Mexico City after battling illness

Antonelli battles fatigue and nerves

Kimi Antonelli starts the Mexico City Grand Prix in fourth position after qualifying showed he struggled with both illness and the pressure of a title fight. Max Verstappen will start fifth because he served a one-place penalty following an on-track altercation with Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson during the second practice session. This penalty allowed Antonelli to move up one position from fifth to fourth on the grid. Lewis Hamilton clinched his first pole position for Ferrari and his 105th career pole by beating George Russell and Charles Leclerc by very narrow margins at the end of the session. Hamilton shaded his former teammate by just 0.009s to take the top spot.

Antonelli admitted he lacked confidence during the qualifying session after struggling to find grip on new tyres in Q3. He also fought a high fever and stomach problems earlier in the week. The 20-year-old driver said he still lacks energy and needs to sleep for ten hours to recover from the illness. He mentioned that constant questions about the Formula 1 title caused him to feel tense. He plans to use melatonin to help himself disconnect before the race begins. He explained that he had to drive within himself to get a solid qualifying lap on the board because of his condition. His fever was very bad, so he missed media duties on Thursday.

The driver felt tense because people told him the championship was already decided. He said, "I’ve definitely been a bit more tense than usual, especially when you keep hearing, wherever you go, any time of the day, the same thing." He tried to block the noise, but the pressure of the title history remains. He noted that his session in Q2 felt decent on used tyres, but he struggled when he switched to the new set. He also admitted he made mistakes throughout his laps. Antonelli’s qualifying performance reflects his struggle to manage physical illness and the mental weight of his title fight.

Race pace and championship math

Mercedes might not match the race pace of Ferrari over the 71 laps of the Grand Prix. Antonelli expects to gain places if he manages a clean run through the Turn 1 pinch-point. He told reporters that his qualifying performance was not his finest because he made mistakes and felt low on energy. He will need to finish ninth or higher if George Russell wins the race to maintain his advantage. He expects a tricky start. He also noted that he must stay out of trouble because the opening corner is always very tricky.

Antonelli was 0.001s slower than Lando Norris in the third practice session earlier on Saturday. He used build laps to get temperature into his tyres, but George Russell chose to forego these preparation laps before his final Q3 run. This decision helped Russell stay close to the front. Antonelli was half a step behind Russell in qualifying and struggled to find confidence throughout the session. He expects to move forward if he manages a good start and avoids trouble in the opening corner. He has a set of new tyres saved for the race to help him.

Antonelli will rely on his family, who just arrived at the circuit, to help him relax. He said, "I’m going to try to disconnect as much as possible, go to sleep, and then I’m ready for tomorrow." He hopes for a good night of rest to overcome his fatigue. He noted that he is not feeling 100 per cent. He will try to sleep well tonight to prepare for Sunday.