Everything was going against us, says Antonelli after Silverstone setback

Antonelli spent most of the race in strong form at the front, believing a win was possible.

“We had really strong pace in the race and it felt like we had the speed to close the gap and fight for the win,” he said. He explained that everything changed after a sudden issue: “I was taking the same kerb every lap, but on that particular lap I ran it and immediately lost front downforce. The car wasn't driving straight anymore and the pace dropped away.”

From there, the situation escalated quickly.

“We didn't get the opportunity to properly battle for the victory but sometimes these things are out of your control,” Antonelli added, before reflecting on his late fightback attempts: “Even when it felt like everything was going against us, I was still fighting to grab that one point before the Safety Car changed things."

Russell’s race was more chaotic than his final result suggests, shaped by shifting fortunes and strategy.

“It was a race with a whole range of emotions today. At times we were unlucky, and in the end, we got a little bit lucky as well,” he said.

A slow puncture forced an extra stop, but the timing of the Safety Car proved decisive.

“The Safety Car played in our favour because everyone behind me had fitted fresh tyres. Had we gone racing again, I probably would have lost at least one position,” Russell admitted after finishing second.

He also pointed to underlying issues despite the podium: “It wasn't a particularly strong weekend from our side… there are still a lot of things we can improve,” as Mercedes look to refine performance before the next race.