P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Kimi Antonelli had a continuous nightmare during the European leg of the season, but has made a strong start to the final flyaways of 2025.
Kimi Antonelli expressed confidence in Mercedes’ performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a successful opening day at the Baku City Circuit, where George Russell finished third and Antonelli fourth in the second practice session. This marked a significant improvement from the team’s struggles at the Italian GP, where they were behind the leading pack. Antonelli arrived in Baku after a challenging European leg that yielded only three points in six races. Despite the interrupted FP1 session, Antonelli felt positive about his progress on the street circuit, aiming to continue building confidence for the upcoming sessions. Looking ahead, Antonelli highlighted the need to find a slight improvement in lap times but overall considered the first day a solid foundation to build upon for the rest of the weekend.
