Andrea Kimi Antonelli reveals that Mercedes gave him a ‘kick in the pants’ to get back on track after his home race at Monza. The Italian rookie – still the youngest driver on the grid at nineteen – had a spectacular start to the season, but seemed to falter as the season progressed. However, during the last Grands Prix in Baku and Singapore, there seemed to be a turnaround. With a fourth and fifth place, he scored good points for the team.
At the season opener in Australia, Antonelli immediately secured an impressive fourth place. Not much later, he achieved his first pole position for the sprint race in Miami and made it to the podium in Montreal. However, during the European Formula 1 season, he seemed to suddenly buckle under the pressure. From the Austrian GP onwards, he scored only one World Championship point in five Grands Prix. Even during his home race at Monza, he was left disappointed – with a ninth place, the rookie left something to be desired.
In the last two Grands Prix, however, Antonelli bounced back and scored important points for Mercedes again. Speaking to the website of the Silberpfeile, he stated that he got a ‘kick in the pants’ after the Italian GP. An interesting detail: team boss Toto Wolff openly criticized the Italian for the first time at Monza, calling his performance ‘disappointing’.
Constructors’ Championship
“After Monza, I had a crucial meeting with ‘Bono’ (Peter Bonnington) and the other engineers,” Antonelli shared. “I received a significant wake-up call – and frankly, I needed it. Now, I’m back on track, with the right mindset. I’m focusing on the process, on the basics. If I drive well and get everything in order, the results will follow naturally. We’ve had a few good weekends, which is important and earns valuable points for the team.”
“Moreover, the car has been very strong, which is, of course, promising,” Antonelli continued optimistically. “We have six races left and are steadily pulling away from Ferrari and Red Bull. That’s the most important thing; to keep scoring points and performing well, so we can secure the second spot in the Constructors’ Championship.” Mercedes moved up to the second place in the championship after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Following George Russell‘s victory in Singapore, the team now has a lead of 26 World Championship points over rival Ferrari.
