Kimi Antonelli has admitted that Ferrari currently have an advantage over Mercedes —not because they are faster, but because they are more consistent and reliable.
Lewis Hamilton has reignited his title challenge with an impressive run of form. The Ferrari driver won the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after finishing second in the previous two races. His recent results have significantly reduced Antonelli’s lead in the championship standings.
Antonelli’s retirement in Spain allowed Hamilton to close the gap to just 41 points. Earlier in the season, George Russell’s scoreless outings in Monaco and Canada had already helped Hamilton move ahead of the Mercedes driver in the standings.
Speaking after the race, Antonelli praised Ferrari’s current level of performance.
“They’re in excellent form,” he told Sky Sports F1. “Ferrari is very reliable, and they’re also quick. We need to make the most of every opportunity and keep performing at our best, but it won’t be easy.”
Despite the disappointment of failing to finish in Barcelona, Antonelli is eager to bounce back in the next race.
The Mercedes youngster also claimed he felt he had the pace to win in Spain. While Hamilton was extremely fast on the medium tyres, a well-timed Virtual Safety Car helped the Ferrari driver gain a crucial track-position advantage.
“I think we were the quickest car on track today,” Antonelli said. “Lewis was very fast at the end, but during the second stint we had excellent pace. After the VSC, it was impossible to catch him.”
Antonelli congratulated Hamilton on securing his first victory with Ferrari but admitted he was frustrated by his own result.
“It’s very disappointing, and I feel quite empty right now,” he added. “But these things happen in racing. The most important thing is to come back stronger.”