Antonelli rues error after feeling ‘front row was possible’

Kimi Antonelli will start from third position in the Bahrain Grand Prix after a challenging qualifying session. The Mercedes driver felt he could have secured a front row spot but lost time due to a track limits violation that invalidated his initial lap in Q2. This forced him to use new soft tyres, limiting his options in the final qualifying segment.

Despite the setback, Antonelli expressed optimism about the race, noting the possibility of multiple pit stops due to tyre degradation and the potential for rain. He acknowledged that while he could not compete for pole position against Max Verstappen, he is looking forward to making the most of his starting position.