Ted Kravitz saw Kimi Antonelli ‘hit himself’ in the Mercedes garage amid Azerbaijan Grand Prix frustration

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Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli recorded his best qualifying result in seven rounds with P4 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, yet only after showing his frustration.

The 19-year-old had not qualified higher than P7 since he also achieved P4 during Q3 at the Canadian Grand Prix back in June. Only when Antonelli qualified P3 at the Miami Grand Prix in May has the Mercedes driver also qualified higher than his P4 at the Azerbaijan GP so far.

An early overtake on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Montreal also saw Antonelli score his debut F1 podium with P3 in the Canadian GP after starting from P4. The Bologna boy will strive to now turn P4 in Baku into a strong result, having only taken points in two of the last six races.

Antonelli will also be the first Mercedes on the grid in Baku this Sunday, after George Russell qualified P5 for the Azerbaijan GP. The Briton’s effort was 0.353s slower than his teammate’s lap time of 1:41.717, which was 0.6s slower than Max Verstappen’s Azerbaijan GP pole time.

Ted Kravitz saw Kimi Antonelli ‘hit himself’ after a red flag cost him a Q3 lap at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

But Antonelli could not hide his frustration during Q3 in Baku when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc triggered the fifth of six red flag interruptions. Race control decided to neutralise Q3 just as Antonelli was approaching the finish line to record his first flying lap of the top-10 shootout.

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

Leclerc crashed heavily at Turn 15 when only Williams’ Carlos Sainz and the Racing Bulls pair of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar had set lap times in Q3. But the stoppage meant Antonelli had to abandon his first Q3 effort as he neared the pit entry, which enraged the 19-year-old.

Ted Kravitz spotted Antonelli “hit himself” on the helmet when he returned to the Mercedes garage during qualifying for the Azerbaijan GP. It could have cost him a big result as spots of rain had begun to descend on Baku, but the track remained dry upon the resumption of Q3.

Kravitz said on Sky Sports F1 (20/09, 14:28): “To underline how frustrated Kimi Antonelli was by losing his lap, right in front of me when he came back from that run after the red flag, he just sort of hit himself on the crash helmet.

“He was so frustrated as he got wheeled back into the garage. Maybe Toto Wolff can put a sort of fatherly pat on him and sort of calm him down.”

Kimi Antonelli avoids a grid penalty in Baku after a yellow flag infringement investigation

Antonelli was also investigated following qualifying for the 2025 Azerbaijan GP over a yellow flag infringement during Q1. The Mercedes gem overtook two drivers who were slowing for the stricken Williams of Alex Albon, after the London-born Thai crashed early on at Turn 1.

The race stewards decided to sanction Antonelli with his first driving reprimand of the 2025 F1 season for the incident. There were no physical yellow flags or light panels for Albon’s car parked on the inside of T1, but Antonelli’s steering wheel very briefly indicated a yellow flag.

As Mercedes immediately told Antonelli to abandon his flying lap and the Italian gained no sporting advantage, the stewards did not believe the incident warranted a grid penalty. So, Antonelli will start Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP from P4 as the lead Mercedes car on Baku’s grid.