‘He was toast’-The mistake Mercedes vow not to make again
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’s rookie driver, Kimi Antonelli, endured a grueling experience at his home race in Imola, Italy, last weekend. Despite having a large following of friends, family, and supporters in attendance, Antonelli’s performance was marred by exhaustion, which ultimately led to his first F1 retirement due to a throttle problem.
Reflecting on the disappointing outcome, Antonelli acknowledged that he had devoted too much time and energy to off-track distractions, leaving him feeling drained and impacting his performance on the track. Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, described the situation as a “learning process” and admitted that the team had made a similar mistake last year when they gave Antonelli his first official FP1 outing at Monza, resulting in a crash on his second flying lap.
Wolff attributed Antonelli’s struggles at Imola to the “perfect storm” of factors, including the pressure of performing in front of his home crowd, family, and friends. He noted that Antonelli was “toast” as early as Friday, having expended too much energy on off-track commitments. Wolff emphasized the importance of protecting oneself from the demands of F1 and advised Antonelli to prioritize his focus and energy on the track.
Antonelli, who had gone into the Imola weekend on the back of slightly underwhelming race results in Miami, described the experience as “very intense and very demanding” mentally. He acknowledged that he didn’t manage his energy and focus well, which ultimately affected his performance on the track. Despite the setback, Antonelli is determined to bounce back and has taken time off to reset and recharge ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Mercedes has been working closely with Antonelli to prepare him for the demands of F1, including off-track activities like media work and marketing commitments. However, Antonelli stressed that the difficulties he faced at Imola were not a result of team sponsor activities, but rather his own management of his time and energy.
As Antonelli looks to rebound from his disappointing performance at Imola, he will be drawing on the lessons learned from that experience. With the support of his team and a renewed focus on prioritizing his energy and attention on the track, Antonelli is poised to regain his momentum and continue to make a strong impression in his rookie season.
The Monaco Grand Prix presents a new challenge for Antonelli, who started the weekend by setting the 11th-fastest time in FP1, just under three tenths slower than teammate George Russell. As he navigates the demanding streets of Monaco, Antonelli will be seeking to apply the lessons learned from Imola and regain his footing in the competitive world of F1.
