Andrea Kimi Antonelli is experiencing a fluctuating debut season with Mercedes, but the young Italian is candid about the challenges he faces. Particularly, the current generation of Formula 1 cars proves difficult to tame. “I still feel like I can’t drive the car the way I want to,” he admits.
Antonelli currently ranks seventh in the championship, with several top-five finishes and a first podium during the Grand Prix of Canada. However, he had a difficult summer: during the European part of the season, he scored only three points, partly due to engine problems at Mercedes. According to the 19-year-old driver, he is not yet getting the most out of himself and the car. Antonelli visibly struggles with his driving style in combination with the current generation of Formula 1 cars, and is working step by step to adjust it.
Antonelli’s Driving Style
“My driving style is quite aggressive, you’ve probably seen that at a few moments,” Antonelli says. “Also in the second free practice at Monza, you saw how I threw the car into the corner, but with this generation of cars, that doesn’t seem to work. Maybe because of the aerodynamics or the tires – but these cars are extremely sensitive. The limit is so high that if you go over it, you immediately lose everything. The car just flips. It’s super unpredictable and incredibly difficult to control.”
Yet, the young Italian has no plans to give up his identity as a driver. “I’m working on adjusting my driving style, but I don’t want to completely change it. In some corners, this car can handle it – in others, absolutely not. It’s about learning to recognize where I can apply my natural style, and where not. This adjusted way of driving doesn’t feel completely natural yet,” Antonelli acknowledges. “But I’m taking the right steps in the right direction.”
