Kimi Antonelli says F1 title fight is “not over until it’s over” ahead of Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Image accompanying the official F1 announcement.Kimi Antonelli said the Drivers’ Championship is “not over until it’s over” as he looks ahead to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit.
The Mercedes driver said the championship is on his mind, but added that he wants to keep approaching the season race by race rather than getting distracted by the points situation. He also described the challenge as taking it “one point at a time,” with the outcome decided only at the finish line.
Antonelli has won eight Grands Prix this season and added four more podiums, giving him an 81-point lead over teammate George Russell.
He also said the competitive picture has tightened heading into Baku, with McLaren and Red Bull closing the gap alongside Ferrari. Antonelli said that depending on the pace of those rivals — including McLaren, Red Bull with Max Verstappen, and even Isack Hadjar — Mercedes could face a weekend where a podium or P4 is the realistic target, even if the aim remains to win.
Looking to Azerbaijan, Antonelli said he narrowly missed a podium in Baku last season and will need to manage expectations while keeping mistakes to a minimum. He called the track “very challenging,” said there is little room for error, and added that building performance through the weekend will be crucial to finding the small margins when they matter most.
Reporting source: F1 official update