After struggling with the tyre operating window in Qualifying, Kimi Antonelli settled for a P2 start in a Mercedes 1-2 for the 2026 F1 Canadian GP.
So far, the Montreal weekend has not gone the way the young Italian would have hoped. Despite qualifying P2 for the Sprint Race, several heated on-track moments between the Mercedes teammates left him crossing the chequered flag in P3.
Later, in Qualifying, the championship leader struggled with finding pace and managing his tyre temperatures, ultimately being edged by George Russell by just 0.068 seconds.
“It was a pity”: Antonelli on missing out on pole
Speaking in the 2026 F1 Canadian GP post-qualifying press conference, Antonelli explained his Qualifying struggles, specifically pointing to his final Q3 laps.
“Yeah, it was again 68 milliseconds,” he said. “I’m going to remember that number for a very long time. Yeah, I mean, it was a difficult session. It started off very strong on used tyres and then it kind of faded away a little bit throughout the session.”
This drop in performance was evident throughout the Canadian GP Qualifying, as Antonelli topped Q1, finished Q2 in P4, and further struggled in Q3. Despite setting the fastest final purple sector on his first Q3 attempt, he was only able to jump up into P4.
He continued: “I had a really bad lap in Q3, really bad first lap, and then second lap I just tried to put things a bit more together. It was very difficult to get the tyres in the right window, especially for lap one. So of course, it was a pity to miss out by this close, but I think it was still a decent session and George did a great lap.”
When asked if he understands why his performance slipped away mid-session, Antonelli said:
“I think it was just really struggling to get the tyres in the right window, working them properly. I think that was the main issue for us. And then I had a little missed downshift on the last lap, into Turn 6, which threw me off a little bit. But the rest I think was pretty ok.”
Analyzing the W17’s Montreal upgrades
Notably, Mercedes entered the Montreal weekend with their first 2026 upgrades. However, Antonelli noted that so far the changes have been difficult to assess due to tyre conditions and the track’s characteristics.
“Not much, to be fair. I think the package has been working, but it has been changing the balance a little bit. I think also this weekend is a bit unique because tyres are so important to get them in the right window. So, I think we’re not seeing the full benefit of this new package. I think when we go back to Monaco and Barcelona, we will see much better the benefits of this package because here it’s just such a weird condition that I think just by having the tyres in the right window, it makes a big difference.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Grand Prix, conditions may change with the possibility of rain. Therefore, when asked about whether tyre temperature management in the wet will be a greater challenge, the Mercedes driver shared:
“Yeah, it’s going to be, let’s see how much rain, but it’s going to be even colder than these two days. So obviously when it rains and it’s cold, the grip is already very low and then, of course, this track is not an easy track to put temperature into the tyres.”
He added: “So yeah, it’s going to be all new for everyone tomorrow and whoever can get the most out of tyres in terms of temperature in the first few laps can make a difference. But it’s going to be very challenging.”
Mercedes duo reset for Sunday’s race
Briefly looking back at the Mercedes teammate battle in the Sprint Race, Antonelli concluded on the matter by explaining that the team had a talk and things have been resolved.
“Well, no. We had a discussion and we clarified and now it’s all good. So we’ve reviewed and we had a chat with Toto [Wolff] and it’s all good now.”
Beyond the conflict, Russell and Antonelli have always found solid results at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. With his Qualifying result, Russell has now secured his third consecutive pole at the circuit, while Montreal marks the place of Antonelli’s maiden F1 podium.
Asked about what it is about this track that brings out their best skills, Antonelli said: “Yeah, I mean, not a lot to add. I think because our car this year is much better on tyres, on cooling as well, I think probably it hasn’t been as good this weekend because being cold and just getting the tyre in the right window, we’ve been struggling a bit more to get the tyres in the right window.
“So I think of course the team this year has been doing an incredible job on giving us such a strong car, such a strong package. So I think today was very close for many reasons. But yeah, I think this year we don’t feel as strong, at least that’s the feeling me and George have. Last year we felt a bit stronger. But as I said earlier in this interview, it’s just so difficult this weekend to get tyres in the right window.”
