Kimi Antonelli is focused on regrouping and extending his drivers’ championship lead as Formula One prepares for a return to Malaysia this weekend. Sepang will host the upcoming race, which has been officially designated as the Bahrain Grand Prix due to the original event’s cancellation following conflicts in the Middle East. Antonelli, seeking to be Italy’s first champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, was only 11 the last time Formula One was at Sepang.
Currently, the 20-year-old Antonelli holds a 66-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell. The Italian’s momentum stalled last weekend in Azerbaijan, where a practice-session hydraulics failure led to a qualifying crash. Starting 16th, Antonelli finished fifth while Russell secured a commanding victory in Baku, marking the first time in six races that the Briton has outperformed his teammate. Reflecting on his performance, the 20-year-old jokingly remarked that he was driving like his grandmother during the Azerbaijan event.
Antonelli maintains that he must now re-establish his standard of performance at the Sepang International Circuit, which has not featured on the calendar since 2017. Regarding Russell’s ongoing title challenge, he noted that the Briton remains a constant rival. While he acknowledged the challenge, Antonelli is determined to return to his usual competitive level. For his part, Russell has outlined a strategy to contest every remaining race victory throughout the final eight weekends of the season. According to he’s always been my rival,” he, Of Russell’s bid to overhaul him and snatch the title. But I’ll make sure I re-establish the order and just make sure that I am back to my usual level.
Historical data from the 2017 Malaysian race will provide little assistance for current setups, according to Antonelli. He emphasized that the technological landscape has shifted significantly, noting that chassis, engine, and tire specifications are now entirely different for all teams. While half the current grid has experience with the fast, sweeping corners of Sepang, others will be encountering the circuit for the first time.
The competition remains intense as the season approaches its finale. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished a close second in Baku, continues to demonstrate the pace necessary to threaten the Mercedes pair. Red Bull also saw success with Isack Hadjar, who finished third, showcasing the team’s strong straight-line speed. Meanwhile, Ferrari and McLaren are expected to be major contenders in Malaysia. Fred Vasseur has confirmed that Ferrari will introduce upgrades and continue fighting for points, while dismissing internal rumors regarding his leadership. Ferrari will be in battling mood as boss Fred Vasseur shrugs off rumours linking former Red Bull chief Christian Horner with his job and rallies the team to fight for every remaining point.
Elsewhere in the paddock, Lando Norris has addressed his recent post-race controversy. The McLaren driver apologized to Alpine’s Franco Colapinto for earlier remarks suggesting the Argentine should be banned following a collision that also involved Pierre Gasly. Norris confirmed he reached out to Colapinto to apologize, admitting that while his emotions were high after the race, his comments were wrong.
As the sport prepares for the weekend, veteran drivers are looking to build on their records at the venue. Lewis Hamilton aims to extend his tally of five pole positions and one victory, while two-time world champion Fernando Alonso seeks to match the record for the most wins at the Sepang track. Beyond the technical challenges, teams must also account for the frequent rain and storm activity characteristic of the region.
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