Kimi Antonelli got his Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend off to a disrupted start when a hydraulic leak forced him to stop his Mercedes on track during first practice, with smoke billowing from the rear of the car. The incident cost him 35 minutes of valuable track time in FP1, putting him on the back foot for the remainder of the day.
In response, Mercedes took precautionary measures by changing the power unit on Antonelli's W17 for FP2 to clean up extinguisher fluid and inspect for potential damage. Crucially, the unit fitted was an older one from his existing pool, meaning no grid penalty was incurred. The team's swift action highlighted their commitment to preserving engine integrity for the rest of the 2026 season.
After the session, Antonelli confirmed that the incident did not cause significant damage. "I wanted them to spray a bit more because unfortunately I caused a bit of a fire," he said. "Luckily didn’t do much damage but I was just encouraging them, but they did what they did." This suggests the engine can be repaired and returned to his pool for future races.
Despite the setback, Antonelli ended FP2 as the second-fastest driver, just half a second behind his Mercedes teammate George Russell. "We tried to do the max with what we had. Obviously we lost quite a few laps in FP1 and then missing half of FP2," said the 20-year-old Italian. "It’s never ideal, especially at a street circuit, but overall I feel like it was a good recovery. I feel quite good in the car. A few things to work on but looking forward to tomorrow."
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin added: "Kimi's day was disrupted. A hydraulic leak on his second run in FP1 brought an early end to the session after just three push laps. As a precaution, we elected to change the power unit, which delayed the start of his FP2 and cost him further running. Despite that, he was able to complete a useful mix of low and high-fuel work, and his pace was encouraging given the limited track time he had available. There is plenty to analyse overnight and some small gains to find, but overall we've made a positive start to the weekend."
With limited running, Antonelli will need to maximise the remaining practice sessions to fine-tune his setup for qualifying. His competitive pace in FP2, however, indicates he remains a serious contender in Baku. The championship battle is intensifying, and Antonelli's ability to bounce back from adversity will be crucial in maintaining his points advantage.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of reliability at street circuits like Baku, where minor issues can have major consequences. Mercedes appears to have handled the situation well, but they will need to ensure no further problems arise. If Antonelli can continue to show strong pace, a strong result in Azerbaijan is still within reach.
Baca Juga
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