Andrea Kimi Antonelli talks about learning from FP1 crash and how he feels F1 ready now, while Toto Wolff adds about his journey and line-up.
After rumours of Antonelli being promoted to F1 in 2025 by Mercedes, the move was confirmed during the Italian GP at Monza, a day after the youngster had a crash in his first FP1 run in place of his future teammate George Russell.
Despite that one blip, Mercedes were firm about their decision. In fact, Wolff already had this in mind after Lewis Hamilton decided to switch to Ferrari. He did look around but other than Max Verstappen, nobody looked like the one to take the seast.
After fast-tracking his career from Formula Regional to F2, Antonelli is straight to F1 despite not winning the junior championship. He has shown glimpses of good performance as a rookie in the feeder series, but admittedly has much to learn.
He feels F1 ready from the last time though, after string of test runs which was ramped up by Mercedes to get him as prepared as possible. He will have another FP1 and test days in Abu Dhabi to get more running under his belt in the 2024 car.
Antonelli further spoke about his feel in a F1 car for the first time when he drove during test days, as Wolff expanded on learning the hard way especially after his FP1 shunt. Overall, he is full with pride seeing drivers from the programme getting their due.
Learning from FP1 session, crash –
Antonelli: “Yeah, I mean, it was not the ideal session for sure. Definitely, I learned the lesson, unfortunately, in a tough way. But yeah, I learned that I cannot go flat out looking for the limits straight away. Especially looking back, the track was very slippery. The grip was quite a bit lower than expected. So yeah, I guess I was pushing too hard. For sure, for the next few times, I’ll just try to build around more progressively instead of just trying to find the limits straight away. Was it difficult to take with that kind of aftermath? I mean, yeah, right after the crash, the next 30 minutes were really difficult. But then I just tried to reset because I had to do an extra quali just an hour after the FP1. So I just tried to focus the best way into F2. And I think having the session right after really helped me to just forget about what happened.”
Wolff: “I think one of the key ingredients of the really best ones is to hit the ground up and running and be straight, fast. And you remember we talked about the F3 test in Silverstone in the rain, which I mean, two drivers were on the first flight, and he was four seconds quicker than the rest. Now that beat him in FP1. And that’s going to be a value lesson. Because it’s not about having fun in an F3 car in Silverstone in the rain. It’s Formula 1. There’s a lot of responsibility also that comes with it especially for the best car brand in the world for many thousands of people. And that’s why Kimi landed a very, very hard way. I think that moment must have been very tough. And compromised George for his day and his week. And Kimi knows that. But you know, sometimes it needs to sting, and then it sticks.”
First time in F1 car, feeling –
Antonelli: “It was such a great feeling. The car is such a great machinery, super fast. And it just gives you a lot of confidence. And I think also coming back from what happened in FP1, it’s just that too much confidence with the car, eventually that didn’t play on my way. So I think the first time was such a great feeling to feel the power, the braking, and everything. Also, walking into the garage, seeing so many people around the car, it was just something I was not used to. And it was just great. Then about the rumors and talking about stepping out to F1, of course in the first moment you feel a bit, it doesn’t seem to be real. But then I fully trust in Mercedes, and they trust in me, and there’s always a reason behind their decisions. So my job now, also, that I step up, is to learn as much as possible and be ready for 2025.”
TPCs, what changed to feel ready now –
Antonelli: “We did two in red in A1 ring, but the first was knowing. Then two in Imola, one in Silverstone, two in Barcelona, and the last one was two in Spain. So we have done 10 TPCs, and we will continue with that because when you look at the blueprint back in the day that Lewis gave, it was a lot of testing to prepare not only for the driving, but also going through a race weekend preparation. It’s what we’ve done also in the last one, so that program is going to continue. Between that period of time [of not being ready], I’ve been doing some TPCs, and I’ve seen some major improvements. I’ve been feeling much better in the car.
“I have to say one of my weakest points, I would say, was the long run, and in the last few TPCs, I’ve been improving that a lot. I think also because I was feeling much better with the car, also with all the procedures, made me change the mind. Of course, I still have so much to learn, learning how to deal with a full race weekend, and I think FP1 was the proof. And learning with all..like still managing all the procedures, not only on the steering wheel, but also starts. So, yes, still so much to learn, (11:23) but every time I go in the car, I feel much better.”
Wolff: “When thinking about an opportunity at Williams, for example, we hope to continue with our program and continue to educate Kimi, finishing with another F1 session, free practice session, not qualifying session, and then doing Abu Dhabi and taking it from there. Because I think the more kilometers we do, especially in a car that is not great, the TPC car that was not our best car, it’s going to get him, I don’t know, 15, between 15 and 20 days under the bed, and that’s important.”
Pride with Russell, Antonelli –
Wolff: “I feel so much pride sitting with these two. To see young drivers going through the program from a super early age onwards, winning everything that needs to be won, ticking all the boxes. I remember with George, how much pressure you got from us. You have to win every…you delivered in your rookie year in F3. Then winning F2, you delivered straight from the get-go in the Formula One. The same for Kimi from karting onwards. That’s not a given. We forget sometimes how rare performances like these two are, super rare.
“I spent lots of time with Gwen and with his team to look at performances straight from the go-karting onwards. There’s no one who has that today. Occasionally, we have somebody that is a frontrunner. Occasionally, somebody wins an international title. But it’s never sustainable. The rare species of racing drivers that are capable of winning year after year, championship after championship, doesn’t exist very often. And that we’re sitting here with two of them that have been delivering, that is super proud for us at Mercedes-Benz. And having a full young driver line-up now with the two of you is much more than just a driver announcement.”
Here’s Kimi Raikkonen on Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Here’s initial thoughts from Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton on Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Here’s Mercedes confirming Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Here’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli on FP1 crash
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