Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Kimi Antonelli has revealed a late-race gearbox issue on his Mercedes that briefly added pressure during the closing stages of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix.
The Italian secured his third consecutive victory from pole position, extending his championship lead. However, the dominant performance was momentarily disrupted by a transmission issue affecting gear shifts in the final laps.
The problem impacted both upshifts and downshifts, particularly between seventh and eighth gear. From a technical standpoint, such issues can influence power delivery and acceleration stability, especially on circuits like Miami with long acceleration zones.
The situation became more critical with Lando Norris closely following. Any loss of momentum could have created an overtaking opportunity, increasing the pressure on Antonelli to maintain consistency.
“It didn’t really affect too much, but there were a couple of laps where I wasn’t getting downshifts properly, and some laps where it wouldn’t upshift from seventh to eighth,” Antonelli said.
“It was a bit stressful, especially being chased and knowing I couldn’t make any mistakes. Luckily, it only lasted a few laps and then it was fine.”
Despite the issue, Antonelli maintained consistent lap times and avoided errors, demonstrating strong race control under pressure. This highlights both driver composure and the overall competitiveness of the Mercedes package.
With another victory secured, Antonelli strengthens his position in the title fight. Attention now turns to the next round, where technical reliability will remain a key factor in sustaining momentum.
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