ANTONELLI 'A BIT EMPTY' AFTER LATE BARCELONA GP RETIREMENT

Kimi Antonelli’s strong run at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix ended abruptly with a late mechanical retirement, denying him a likely podium. The Mercedes driver had just overtaken teammate George Russell for second place, breaking his five-Grand Prix winning streak and marking his first retirement of the season. Antonelli described feeling "a bit empty," lamenting the DNF just three laps from the finish despite showing strong pace, particularly in his second and third stints.

Mercedes ran a two-stop strategy for Antonelli and Russell, while Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari used a three-stopper. Hamilton ultimately benefited from a late VSC to consolidate his lead and take the win. Antonelli speculated that an earlier pass on Russell could have positioned him to challenge Hamilton for victory. He conceded a less-than-optimal qualifying performance but is already looking ahead to Austria to "come back stronger."