Andrea Kimi Antonelli made his first podium appearance at the recent Canadian Grand Prix. Finishing third behind race winner George Russell and Max Verstappen, the young Italian managed to keep Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at bay, albeit benefiting from the internal battle between the two McLaren drivers. Antonelli admits that finishing in the top three for the first time has lifted a significant weight off his shoulders.
The 18-year-old Antonelli was close to a podium finish during the race weekend in Miami, but the Canadian Grand Prix was the first race where he actually secured a spot on the podium. This achievement not only earned him some silverware and a substantial number of World Championship points; the young Mercedes rookie has also gained a lot of confidence heading into the upcoming Grands Prix. With renewed self-assurance, he hopes to qualify and race more aggressively in the future.
“Canada was very important to me,” Antonelli explained to the media in Austria. “It was a huge relief, but also a significant milestone, as I had been close to the podium a few times this season. This will help me as a driver to race a bit more relaxed. I won’t beat around the bush – I may have been a bit too tense and conservative in recent weekends, especially during the training sessions.”
Taking the Next Step
“Now is really the time to take a step further and improve myself – to prove myself, especially in terms of approach during training sessions,” Antonelli continued. “I want to try and explore more options and push the limits of grip. In the past races, I often went into the qualifications with many questions, while actually, there is no time to try things out. You only have one round, and then it’s over.”
Antonelli’s sensational Formula 1 debut during the first free practice at Monza last year ended prematurely when he crashed in the Parabolica turn after just five rounds. The Italian admitted that this mistake had forced him into an overly cautious driving style. However, with the podium in Montreal, he has regained the confidence to increase his aggression. “Such results help you to take a step forward,” he concluded confidently. “This is the moment to grow further, because we all know how exciting Formula 1 is these days – especially in the qualifications. A tenth can already make the difference.”
