Antonelli singles out 'big point that needs to be improved' despite leading championship

Kimi Antonelli has singled out the area "that needs to be improved" despite winning his third Grand Prix in a row in Miami.

The Italian youngster extended his championship lead over team mate George Russell to 20 points following his latest triumph, with the youngster holding off a charging Lando Norris for much of the race.

However, getting off the line at the start has proven to be a challenge for Antonelli, who has started on pole for each of the last three Grands Prix. As well as more lost places in the Grand Prix, the 19-year-old also dropped places in the Sprint, and it's an area he is keen to address with the team.

“Today to be fair was not as bad," he detailed. "I think I lost two places, Sprint I lost six, so a little bit better.

“But still, no, it’s not acceptable. I think especially in a weekend like this, that the gaps are a lot closer, it can really change the race.

“So, I think it’s a point where also together with the team we need to, because yesterday, for example, in the Sprint, procedure-wise it was good, but just the grip level that we thought there was, was just not there.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff explained on Saturday that Antonelli did everything right from P2 on the grid for the Sprint, only for a “glitch on our side” to cause a slow getaway. But the youngster has struggled in other races too, especially against the much faster starting Ferraris.

In Japan, he dropped to sixth on the opening lap after starting from pole while, in China, he lost one place to Lewis Hamilton. In Australia he went all the way down to P7 after starting on the front row.

On Sunday, he was already struggling against Max Verstappen off the line and likely would have lost out to both the Dutchman and Charles Leclerc had he not locked up and run wide, which in the resulting melee after Verstappen spun left him second.

While on paper that was an improvement, in reality, he was fortunate his lock-up did not cost him more places.

“I think also with the team, but for sure mainly from me, because I’m still a little bit inconsistent, especially on clutch drop,” Antonelli added.

“I still don’t have that confidence, being consistent with that. I still have a bit of uncertainty, so it’s a big point that needs to be improved.

"But I think today I managed it better than yesterday. Yesterday I was very frustrated and today I just kept it a bit cool, a bit better, and just managed to move on and focus about the race.”