"Driving more like my grandma": Antonelli vows to re-establish order at Sepang after Baku slip

Kimi Antonelli arrives at Sepang International Circuit still leading the Formula 1 world championship, but he's well aware the last race didn't go his way. The Mercedes driver has promised to "re-establish the order" at this weekend's Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, after a fifth-place finish in Azerbaijan allowed team-mate George Russell to cut into his lead.

A self-deprecating verdict on Baku

Antonelli had a tough weekend in Baku. Russell took pole and won the race, while Antonelli struggled in both qualifying and the grand prix. As Malay Mail reported, he joked that he had been "driving more like my grandma" around the streets of the Azerbaijani capital.

He's now looking ahead, not back. "I'll make sure I re-establish the order and just make sure that I am back to my usual level," Antonelli said.

His lead over Russell is still 66 points, a big cushion with eight race weekends left. Russell's target is just as clear. He has said he wants to "try and prevail in all of the remaining eight race weekends this season".

Settling in early in Malaysia

Antonelli has been easing into the Malaysian heat and humidity. According to Malay Mail and SAYS, he adjusted to the local time zone quickly and has often been seen with performance coach Sergi Ávila. On social media, fans followed him to the SplashMania WaterPark at Gamuda Cove, which he called "pre-weekend shenanigans". He also played tennis and filmed promotional content at a PETRONAS station, a fitting stop for a driver whose team is backed by Malaysia's national oil company.

Russell spent his downtime differently. He organised a trip to Langkawi with several other drivers before returning to Kuala Lumpur for a PETRONAS fan event at KLCC.

What Antonelli expects from Sepang

Sepang is new to Antonelli. F1 last raced here in 2017, before his F1 career began, so he is one of 12 drivers on the grid without race experience at the circuit. He has said the weekend will bring plenty of variables.

"It's going to be very interesting as well with tyre degradation. We might see two, three stops, because tyre deg is going to be big, but another question mark is going to be the weather," he said in quotes carried by The Race. Speaking to Sky Sports, he added that "there's going to be a lot of unknowns".

That uncertainty could help or hurt him. Mercedes have been the class of the field this season, but Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second in Baku and has won at Sepang before, taking the final Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017. Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has also promised upgrades, saying: "We will bring upgrades and we will continue to push until the last corner."

The weekend ahead

Running begins with practice on Friday, 2 October. Qualifying is on Saturday and the race starts at 3pm Malaysian time on Sunday, 4 October. For Antonelli, a clean weekend matters more than a spectacular one. Another bad result against a Russell on form would make the run-in a lot more uncomfortable.

Key takeaways

• Antonelli leads Russell by 66 points after finishing fifth in Baku, where Russell won.
• He has vowed to "re-establish the order" at Sepang after joking he drove "like my grandma" in Azerbaijan.
• He expects heavy tyre wear, possibly two or three stops, and uncertain weather.
• Off track, he has visited a water park, played tennis and appeared at a PETRONAS station.

FAQ

Has Antonelli raced at Sepang before? No. F1 last raced at Sepang in 2017, and Antonelli is among the drivers making their Sepang race debut this weekend.

How big is Antonelli's championship lead? He leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 66 points with eight race weekends remaining.

What time is the race on Sunday? The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang starts at 3pm Malaysian time on Sunday, 4 October.

Sources: Malay Mail, The Race, Sky Sports, SAYS, Formula1.com