Overview
- The 19-year-old Mercedes rookie finished second at Interlagos and resisted a late charge from Max Verstappen on fresher Soft tyres.
- Antonelli said contact with Oscar Piastri at a Safety Car restart caused damage that made the car feel odd, yet he maintained pace in clean air to the flag.
- Verstappen recovered from an early puncture with an aggressive three-stop strategy and closed rapidly late, but tyre overheating curtailed his final attack.
- Toto Wolff argued Antonelli excels at venues he has not raced before, citing reduced expectations and less fan pressure as factors behind standout weekends.
- Mercedes has renewed Antonelli’s contract as part of a long-term plan following a mixed rookie season that includes a Miami Sprint pole and podiums in Canada and Brazil.