Kimi Antonelli’s surprising pace in Melbourne
Every driver dreams of a debut, as Antonelli did. One of the six new drivers lining up on the grid for the first time this year doesn't start driving single-seaters until 2021.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes driver, expressed his surprise at the intensity required to stay competitive with the leaders during his first race, although he managed to maintain this pace despite a slight mistake: he finished just off the podium after starting the race in 16th position.
The long-time Mercedes protégé managed to put aside the disappointment of qualifying and came back brilliantly by fighting on race day.
« Certainly, for a first race, these were not the easiest conditions, Antonelli said at a press conference on Thursday. « It took me two days to realize that I had just competed in my first Formula 1 Grand Prix. »
The young Italian was surprised by the intensity felt from the very first free practice sessions. Everyone wanted to be at the top from the start. Personally, I really enjoyed myself and gained new experience, especially in the race. During the Grand Prix, I was able to observe the car’s behavior with wet tires, and even starting from the back, even though it wasn’t ideal, allowed me to understand how to manage a start from the rear well.
His fourth place in Melbourne made him the youngest F1 rookie to score points.
« I’m not going to lie, at first I was a bit nervous because I started at the back in the rain, and things can happen, but it was a good experience. What really surprised me was the level of intensity I have to maintain to perform and be able to stay with the leaders. It’s so intense. As a driver, you want to be at the top of your game, you want to be at the top, you want to be fast. »
Mercedes has paired the young Italian with the same race engineer who worked with seven-time world champions Michael Schumacher and Hamilton when they were driving for the team, Peter Bonnington (Bono).
« Having someone who has already experienced all of this really helps me because I know they would be able to guide me in each situation », concluded Antonelli.
As the Shanghai International Circuit hosts the first Sprint weekend of the 2025 season, Antonelli shared his mindset for the upcoming challenge in his burgeoning F1 career.
“It’s a new format, definitely different from Melbourne’s, so it will be important to be at the top right from the start,” he said, referring to the fact that there will be only one practice session before the Sprint qualifying.
