Antonelli flags balance, brake issues after tough Barcelona day
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 14, 2026
Antonelli Friday Practice mix-up
On Friday Mercedes ran reserve driver Fred Vesti in Free Practice 1 to satisfy the rookie-running requirement, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli missed the opening session. Vesti drove the car in FP1 and finished 15th. George Russell set the pace in that session with a lap of 1:16.363. Antonelli returned for FP2 and placed fifth, but he was more than half a second off Russell and nearly six-tenths behind the session pace-setter Lando Norris. FP2 ran in dry, hot conditions, which framed the team's work for the day. Missing FP1 left Antonelli with less track time in the early program, and the raw session order highlighted how Mercedes used its running plan and driver rotation to meet regulatory requirements.
Antonelli single-lap problems and traffic
Antonelli said the core issue was extracting single-lap speed. He reported overheating soft tires that made it difficult to get a quick lap, and he described the W17 as tricky on a single lap because the tire operating window was small. He said balance problems cost him on qualifying-style runs, and that the brake pedal felt "horrible" on a used Friday set. Traffic also intruded on his fastest attempt and cost him time on what would have been his best lap. Those factors combined to leave Antonelli off the sharpest end of the timesheet when teams were measuring one-lap performance. Mercedes has acknowledged the need for adjustments and planned overnight changes to try to improve the car's behavior for the next session.
Antonelli race-trim promise and team response
Despite the single-lap limitations, Antonelli reported stronger long-run pace, suggesting Mercedes is more competitive in race trim than over an isolated lap. That contrast framed Mercedes' Friday work: one-lap extraction was problematic but longer stints showed encouraging consistency. The team scheduled setup and system changes overnight aimed at improving balance and the tire window for Saturday's sessions. Antonelli remained confident heading into Saturday, projecting that the adjustments and the car's race-pace promise could deliver a better showing when qualifying and the race arrive.
