Kimi Antonelli was frustrated with himself after qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix as the Formula 1 championship leader missed out on pole due to a mistake at Turn 1.
The Mercedes driver will start Sunday’s race at Zandvoort from third after qualifying 0.133s off McLaren polesitter Lando Norris and 0.031s behind team-mate George Russell in second.
Antonelli reckons he “had a shot for pole” but at the end of Q3 when rain was looming - after taking fourth with his first run - he backed off too much heading into the Turn 1 hairpin.
“I lost two tenths [in the first sector], so that's a shame,” the 19-year-old told Sky Sports Italy. “It was a difficult qualifying session: I struggled to find the right feel, especially with the rear.
“It was one of those qualifying sessions where we didn’t touch the car, and usually, as the session progresses, you start adding wing to help it turn more.
“That wasn't the case today because I was still struggling, but I believed that in Q3 I had a chance to contend for it.
“Unfortunately, I made a mistake in Turn 1, especially seeing the rain, let's say I went in too slow and lost a lot of time. So it was a mistake on my part, but it's still a third position.”
Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
It continued an already disappointing weekend for the Italian, who was suffering from floor damage during Friday’s sprint qualifying after an off at the penultimate corner in SQ1.
That cost him “25 points” of downforce leaving him fifth on the Saturday race grid before eventually finishing fourth, behind winner Russell, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Norris.
“I did a mistake and that definitely took some confidence away,” said Antonelli. “And also today in qualifying, mainly because the feeling was not really there with the car. I still struggled to find my rhythm and to put the lap times together.”
But Sunday - which will mark the final Dutch GP - presents a chance for Antonelli to bounce back and extend his 53-point championship lead over Lewis Hamilton, who starts fifth.
"It will definitely be important to get a good start and then try to put pressure on the drivers ahead, maybe doing something different with the strategy,” added Antonelli, who is 56 points ahead of third-placed Russell, on Sky Sports Italy.
“Tyre management during the stint will also be important, but I have to say that tomorrow we'll have a good chance to get a good result.
“The mindset is the same: on the attack, but using my head. If the opportunity presents, you take it. Otherwise, you wait and see how the situation develops. But I definitely don't want to drive a defensive race.”
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