Future Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli says he leaned a helpful lesson — albeit in a tough method — when he crashed throughout apply on the Italian Grand Prix.
Antonelli was making his debut in an FP1 session at Monza, earlier than being introduced as a Mercedes driver in 2025 the next day. His first lap put him on the prime of the timing screens however as he was pushing to regain that spot on his second timed effort, he crashed closely at Parabolica and his observe time was over after simply 10 minutes.
“Undoubtedly I discovered a lesson, sadly in a tricky method,” Antonelli mentioned. “I discovered that I can’t go flat out in search of the restrict right away.
“Trying again, the observe was very slippery, the grip was fairly a bit decrease than anticipated. So sure, I used to be pushing too onerous, for positive. For the subsequent few occasions, I’ll simply attempt to construct the run extra progressively as an alternative of simply looking for the restrict.”
Through the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend the place he received a Formulation 2 function race for the primary time, Antonelli admitted, “I don’t know if I’d be prepared, to be sincere, as a result of I nonetheless am studying quite a bit in F2.” Nonetheless, after being confirmed as an F1 driver simply over a month later, he says Mercedes has been working with him in latest equipment as a part of its Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) program to assist him put together.
“Nicely between that time period, I’ve been performing some TPCs, and I’ve seen some main enhancements,” he mentioned. “I’ve been feeling significantly better within the automobile. One in every of my weakest factors, I’d say, is the long term, and in the previous couple of TPCs, I’ve been bettering that quite a bit.
“As a result of I used to be feeling significantly better with the automobile, additionally with all of the procedures, it made me change my thoughts [about his readiness]. In fact I nonetheless have a lot to be taught, studying how you can take care of a full race weekend, and I believe [Monza] was the proof! Studying about managing all of the procedures, not solely on the steering wheel but in addition begins. So, nonetheless a lot to be taught, however each time I received within the automobile, I really feel so significantly better.”
Group principal Toto Wolff says Antonelli’s capability to be so quick from the primary lap in a automobile is one thing that marks him out as a particular expertise, however he additionally believes a tricky state of affairs like his rookie confronted at Monza is required to make sure he learns rapidly.
“I believe one of many key substances of the actually finest ones is to hit the bottom up and working, and go straight, quick,” Wolff mentioned. “We talked in regards to the F3 check in Silverstone within the rain with some F2 drivers, the place on his first flying lap, he was 4 seconds faster than the remainder. And that bit him [in Monza].
“That’s going to be a helpful lesson, as a result of it’s not about having enjoyable in an F3 automobile in Silverstone within the rain — that is Formulation 1. There’s a variety of accountability that comes with it, for the very best automobile model on the earth, for a lot of 1000’s of individuals. And that’s why Kimi discovered in a really, very onerous method.
“I believe that second will need to have been very robust and compromised George [Russell] for his day and his weekend, and Kimi is aware of that. However typically, it must sting — then it sticks.”
