Kimi Antonelli Learns From Max Verstappen After P2 Finish in Malaysia

Kimi Antonelli extended his Formula 1 drivers’ championship lead to 84 points after finishing second behind race winner Max Verstappen at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, RacingNews365 reported. The Mercedes driver capitalised on the race retirement of title rival George Russell due to engine failure, strengthening his position at the head of the standings with seven grands prix remaining in the season.

Verstappen Outsmarts Antonelli at the Sepang Restart

Reflecting on the race, Antonelli admitted he was heavily frustrated during a crucial battle with Verstappen on a wet track. The Mercedes youngster watched closely as the Red Bull driver executed a decisive overtaking manoeuvre during a race restart on slick tires under treacherous conditions.

“I think that it’s first of all amazing to be able to share the track with these kinds of names, in this case especially with Max and Lewis,” Antonelli told RacingNews365 and other media. “They are rewriting the history books: Lewis has practically already done that and Max is doing exactly the same at the moment.”

Describing the moment on track that decided the race, Antonelli detailed how Verstappen gained the upper hand. “A very nice example was how Max approached the restart on slicks on a soaking wet track. He simply knew much better how to position the car and felt the grip much better in the first two corners, which allowed him to overtake me.”

“That was of course very educational. Even though it was far from fun to be overtaken—I was furious about it—it was still a valuable lesson to take with me into the future,” Antonelli said. He also praised Lewis Hamilton’s resilience under adversity, noting that the veteran British driver consistently keeps his head down to extract the maximum result from difficult weekends.

Grid Penalties and Qualifying Hurdles in Malaysia

Antonelli’s weekend in Malaysia featured mixed fortunes prior to the grand prix itself. Formule1.nl reported that the Italian teenager originally qualified in fourth position for the weekend’s events, hampered by track limits violations that restricted him to a single set of fresh tires during the session. However, a five-place grid penalty for Isack Hadjar promoted Antonelli to third on the starting grid, four places ahead of teammate Russell.

Speaking to F1TV after qualifying, Antonelli admitted he was initially unaware of the grid promotion. “Oh, I’m starting from P3?” he said upon learning the news. “That’s not too bad. What good news. We are going to do our best with the package we have. Tire degradation will be very high, so maybe it will even be a three-stopper. Plus, the weather is always unpredictable. I’m looking forward to it.”

Upgrades Under Scrutiny on Abrasive Sepang Asphalt

Motorsport.com reported that Mercedes introduced a substantial seven-piece upgrade package at Sepang, generating high expectations within the team. Yet extreme ambient heat and the notoriously abrasive nature of the Sepang asphalt pushed tires out of their optimal working windows within two corners, forcing the Silver Arrows into a difficult balancing act.

GPBlog noted via Headliner that Antonelli remained cautious about evaluating whether the new components genuinely improved car speed, pointing out that Mercedes has historically struggled on rough, older asphalt surfaces similar to Zandvoort. The team gathered extensive telemetry data during the Malaysian weekend and aims to unlock the full potential of the upgrade package at the upcoming race in Singapore.

Antonelli Hopes Strategy Helps Fight for Victory

With a mixed starting grid for the race, Antonelli hoped to lean on strategy to compensate for where his car might fall short in race trim. We have a great chance to score good points tomorrow, hopefully even to fight for the victory, and I will do my best, Antonelli stated. He added: Max was a bit too fast for us today.

Antonelli openly admitted that he showed his weakness against a stronger Verstappen in Malaysia. Well, Lewis has already done that and Max is working on it, he noted, pointing out that Hamilton’s glory days lie in the past. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also discussed the uncertainty surrounding the new upgrades, while Hamilton drove from a beaten position to return to the podium in Malaysia.

More on this story: Kimi Antonelli Tops Sepang FP3 After Tough Friday in Malaysia · Kimi Antonelli tops final practice in Malaysia as Verstappen finishes second