Kimi Antonelli did not win at Sepang, but second place proved particularly valuable for his championship campaign. George Russell’s retirement allowed the Italian to extend his advantage over his team-mate to 84 points.

Antonelli chose intermediates and led after the start, but lost the initiative following the first Safety Car intervention. He later recovered second place and finished behind Max Verstappen.

Despite the favourable championship outcome, the leader did not describe the weekend as flawless. Speaking to Formula1.com, he acknowledged that second was Mercedes’ maximum and that the team still had work to do. His Saturday performance had improved on a difficult Friday, when Motorsport.com reported pace struggles for the upgraded car.

The distinction matters: a substantial championship lead does not guarantee superiority at every race. At Sepang, Antonelli collected important points while Red Bull posed a fresh question about Mercedes’ speed.

Sources: Formula1.com · Motorsport.com