Antonelli laments late mistake in losing place to Norris

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's bid for a third consecutive podium was thwarted in Qatar, as a late error allowed Lando Norris to snatch fourth place. The Mercedes rookie conceded that running wide on Lap 56 while battling Carlos Sainz's dirty air was "definitely a mistake," demoting him to P5. It marked a frustrating race for Antonelli, who also suffered a slow pit stop. Meanwhile, teammate George Russell struggled with dirty air throughout the Grand Prix, eventually finishing P6 after Isack Hadjar suffered a puncture on the penultimate lap. Mercedes acknowledged the challenging nature of the Lusail circuit for racing, with Russell noting a significant pace improvement once clear of traffic.