Antonelli prepares for challenging race weekend in Barcelona

Kimi Antonelli anticipates a difficult challenge at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, expressing that securing a sixth consecutive victory will be tough. In Friday practice, Antonelli finished fifth after missing FP1, trailing teammate George Russell by more than half a second. Russell initially recorded the fastest time in FP1 but was outpaced by McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in FP2, highlighting competitive dynamics. Mercedes Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord noted that tyre management could be critical due to the high temperatures expected for the weekend.