Antonelli reckons he \u201chad a shot for pole\u201d but at the end of Q3 when rain was looming – after taking fourth with his first run – he backed off too much heading into the Turn 1 hairpin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI lost two tenths [in the first sector], so that’s a shame,\u201d the 19-year-old told Sky Sports Italy. \u201cIt was a difficult qualifying session: I struggled to find the right feel, especially with the rear.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of those qualifying sessions where we didn\u2019t touch the car, and usually, as the session progresses, you start adding wing to help it turn more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat wasn’t the case today because I was still struggling, but I believed that in Q3 I had a chance to contend for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, I made a mistake in Turn 1, especially seeing the rain, let’s say I went in too slow and lost a lot of time. So it was a mistake on my part, but it’s still a third position.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Lando](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1787415972_536_lando-norris-mclaren-george-ru.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes<\/p>\n
Photo by: Sam Bloxham \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n
It continued an already disappointing weekend for the Italian, who was suffering from floor damage during Friday\u2019s sprint qualifying after an off at the penultimate corner in SQ1.<\/p>\n
That cost him \u201c25 points\u201d of downforce<\/a> leaving him fifth on the Saturday race grid before eventually finishing fourth, behind winner Russell, Ferrari<\/a>\u2019s Charles Leclerc<\/a> and Norris.<\/p>\n \u201cI did a mistake and that definitely took some confidence away,\u201d said Antonelli. \u201cAnd also today in qualifying, mainly because the feeling was not really there with the car.\u00a0I still struggled to find my rhythm and to put the lap times together.\u201d<\/p>\n But Sunday – which will mark the final Dutch GP – presents a chance for Antonelli to bounce back and extend his 53-point championship lead over Lewis Hamilton<\/a>, who starts fifth.<\/p>\n “It will definitely be important to get a good start and then try to put pressure on the drivers ahead, maybe doing something different with the strategy,\u201d added Antonelli, who is 56 points ahead of third-placed Russell, on Sky Sports Italy.<\/p>\n \u201cTyre management during the stint will also be important, but I have to say that tomorrow we’ll have a good chance to get a good result.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mindset is the same: on the attack, but using my head. If the opportunity presents, you take it.\u00a0Otherwise, you wait and see how the situation develops. But I definitely don’t want to drive a defensive race.\u201d<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n We want your opinion!<\/p>\n What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?<\/p>\n