Nov.1 (GMM) Kimi Antonelli has admitted the pressure surrounding his almost inevitable first Formula 1 title is finally beginning to tell, with the Mercedes driver saying after qualifying that he has felt unusually tense in Mexico.
The 20-year-old qualified only P4, behind Lewis Hamilton on pole, George Russell in second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Antonelli needs only P9 on Sunday to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.
“I was more tense than usual, especially after you always hear the same thing, wherever you go: ‘Come on, it’s done’.”
He is also still recovering from the viral illness that kept him out of Thursday.
“I haven’t fully recovered yet, I get tired easily,” Antonelli told Italian media.
“I had a high fever and stomach problems, now I’m better but I have little energy.”
His plan before Sunday is simple.
“I need to sleep,” Antonelli smiled.
“I’ll take a load of melatonin to get at least ten hours of sleep. Then I’ll spend some time with my family, who just arrived.”
Russell, meanwhile, said there is little point pretending the title fight is still realistically alive.
“It’s obviously inevitable he’s going to win the championship, most likely this weekend,” he said.
“In my mind, he’s kind of already won the championship.”
Hamilton, despite taking his first Ferrari pole, also acknowledged that much of Sunday’s attention will be on Antonelli.
“I’m grateful that I can be racing in the time to see it, to witness it,” said the former Mercedes driver.
“I’ll be so happy for him.”