“I felt good going into qualifying”: Kimi Antonelli reacts after ‘annoying and frustrating’ Q2 in Hungary 

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's qualifying session at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix didn't quite reflect the quiet confidence he had been building through the weekend. The Mercedes rookie showed promising pace in Friday's practice sessions but went out in Q2 on Saturday.

After narrowly missing out on Q3, Antonelli now finds himself starting P15 on Sunday, despite feeling he had the pace for more. Speaking after the race, he said (via Mercedes' qualifying report):

"I've felt much more confidence in the car and in myself this weekend. I felt good going into qualifying, and Q1 went smoothly. It is annoying and frustrating, therefore, to get knocked out in Q2. I came out of the final corner to start my last lap and felt less grip with the rear tires than on my previous effort. That became worse throughout the lap, so it's likely we were a bit too hot on the tire temperatures."

Across both Free Practice sessions on Friday, Kimi Antonelli seemed to make genuine progress after a string of difficult race weekends.

Kimi Antonelli (12) and George Russell during qualifying at the Hungaroring. Source: Getty

He was the seventh fastest in FP1 with 1:16.880, just ahead of teammate George Russell. Although Russell bounced back in FP2 with 1:16.417, Antonelli still managed a solid 1:16.520, putting him in P10. But it was on Saturday that the story began to unravel for the 18-year-old.

With Mercedes using an older suspension configuration for more stability, both cars initially responded well. Russell went into Q3 and half a tenth off Charles Leclerc's pole time, eventually settling for P4. Antonelli, meanwhile, looked strong in Q1 and entered Q2 with momentum. Yet something shifted.

The loss of rear-end grip proved costly. His final flying lap, initially enough for P11 with a time of 1:15.782, left him just 0.01s shy of progressing to Q3. To make matters worse, that very lap was later struck off the timing sheets for a track limits breach. The deletion bumped him further down the grid, to a starting position of P15, souring what had been a relatively productive weekend up until then.

"Tomorrow is a new day": Kimi Antonelli eyes fightback as Mercedes chases redemption in Budapest heat

Andrea Kimi Antonelli before the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone. Source: Getty

For Kimi Antonelli, the Hungary GP marks yet another lesson in an already emotionally demanding rookie season. Filling Lewis Hamilton's seat was always going to be a tough act, but the expectations have only grown louder with each race. And while he did offer a glimpse of his potential with a podium in Canada, the European leg of his season has been anything but kind.

With no points from six races, the struggles are often rooted in Mercedes' battle against rising temperatures and inconsistent grip levels. At the Hungaroring, despite initial signs of improvement and a car that finally felt more responsive, the outcome followed a familiar pattern. Tire overheating played a critical role in Qualifying, as did track evolution, factors that have plagued Antonelli through the season. But Kimi is still looking ahead.

"Tomorrow is a new day though and we'll explore how we can fight back into the points. The weather forecast is mixed, and we'll be prepared for all scenarios. We'd good pace on our long run in FP2 and hopefully we can use that to good effect," he added.

The weather, as it turns out, may be his biggest ally. After a hot FP3, Qualifying saw clouds over the Hungaroring, cooling the track. Wind grew stronger as the hour progressed, subtly affecting rear-end stability, just enough to throw Antonelli off during that decisive lap.

But Kimi Antonelli, by his own admission, has felt more comfortable this weekend than in recent outings. Whether that comfort translates into a points finish on Sunday will now depend on Mercedes' strategy and the Budapest weather.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale