Future Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli says he leaned a beneficial lesson — albeit in a tough method — when he crashed throughout follow 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 high 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 monitor time was over after simply 10 minutes.
“Positively I discovered a lesson, sadly in a tricky approach,” Antonelli mentioned. “I discovered that I can not go flat out in search of the restrict right away.
“Trying again, the monitor was very slippery, the grip was fairly a bit decrease than anticipated. So sure, I used to be pushing too laborious, for positive. For the following few instances, I’ll simply attempt to construct the run extra progressively as a substitute of simply looking for the restrict.”
Throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend the place he gained a Formulation 2 function race for the primary time, Antonelli admitted, “I don’t know if I’d be prepared, to be trustworthy, 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.
“Properly between that time frame, I’ve been doing a little TPCs, and I’ve seen some main enhancements,” he mentioned. “I’ve been feeling significantly better within the automotive. Considered one of my weakest factors, I’d say, is the long term, and in the previous few TPCs, I’ve been bettering that quite a bit.
“As a result of I used to be feeling significantly better with the automotive, additionally with all of the procedures, it made me change my thoughts [about his readiness]. After all I nonetheless have a lot to be taught, studying tips on how to cope with a full race weekend, and I feel [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 bought within the automotive, I really feel so significantly better.”
Crew principal Toto Wolff says Antonelli’s potential to be so quick from the primary lap in a automotive 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 shortly.
“I feel one of many key components of the actually finest ones is to hit the bottom up and working, and go straight, quick,” Wolff mentioned. “We talked concerning the F3 take a look at in Silverstone within the rain with some F2 drivers, the place on his first flying lap, he was 4 seconds faster than the remaining. And that bit him [in Monza].
“That’s going to be a beneficial lesson, as a result of it’s not about having enjoyable in an F3 automotive in Silverstone within the rain — that is Formulation 1. There may be a number of accountability that comes with it, for one of the best automotive model on the earth, for a lot of 1000’s of individuals. And that’s why Kimi discovered in a really, very laborious approach.
“I feel that second will need to have been very powerful and compromised George [Russell] for his day and his weekend, and Kimi is aware of that. However generally, it must sting — then it sticks.”
