Kimi Antonelli Accuses Ferrari of Hiding True Pace After Austrian GP Qualifying

Posted : 28 June 2026

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has accused Ferrari of deliberately hiding its true performance after the Italian team emerged as the closest challenger to George Russell during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix.

Antonelli, who qualified fourth, was left frustrated after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured second and third on the grid. Russell claimed pole position with a lap of 1:06.113 after stewards cleared him of any wrongdoing following a yellow-flag investigation triggered by Max Verstappen's late crash in Q3.

The 19-year-old Mercedes driver had hoped to secure a front-row start but abandoned his final flying lap after failing to improve. He will now begin Sunday's race from the second row, alongside Hamilton, with Ferrari appearing far stronger than it had shown during Friday's practice sessions.

Speaking after qualifying, Antonelli suggested Ferrari had deliberately concealed its pace before delivering a much stronger performance when it mattered most.

"For sure, yesterday they were sandbagging, definitely," Antonelli said. "Their pace was always going to be much better. We already saw how strong they were in Barcelona, so it wasn't really a surprise."

Ferrari's impressive qualifying performance continued the momentum gained from Hamilton's victory at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks earlier. The team has also benefited from updates to the SF-26, including improvements to its power unit, giving both drivers greater confidence heading into the second half of the season.

During Friday's practice sessions, Ferrari appeared to struggle for outright speed and trailed both Mercedes cars as well as the McLarens. However, the Scuderia unlocked significantly more pace in qualifying to split Russell from Antonelli and strengthen its chances of another podium finish.

Antonelli expects tyre management to play a decisive role during Sunday's race and believes strategy will be just as important as outright speed around the Red Bull Ring.

"It's going to be another race where you need to manage the tyres and try to extract the maximum from the car," he said.

Although disappointed to miss out on the front row, Antonelli remains optimistic about his chances of challenging for victory. He hopes a strong start will allow him to fight with the Ferraris and reduce the pressure from teammate Russell.

Russell closed the gap in the drivers' championship after Antonelli retired late in the Spanish Grand Prix, cutting 18 points from the youngster's advantage. Another strong result for the British driver could further tighten the title battle, making Sunday's race particularly important for Mercedes.

With Ferrari carrying strong momentum into race day and Mercedes showing competitive pace throughout the weekend, the Austrian Grand Prix is shaping up to be another crucial contest in the 2026 Formula 1 championship.

Kimi Antonelli Accuses Ferrari of Hiding True Pace After Austrian GP Qualifying

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics