Mercedes Method 1 rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli admitted the excitement round his Imola homecoming weekend left him brief on vitality as he suffered a difficult occasion.
Antonelli’s first grand prix begin on Italian soil – simply down the highway from his native metropolis of Bologna – didn’t end up the way in which he or Mercedes had in thoughts, with Antonelli struggling for confidence within the automobile on Saturday earlier than he and team-mate George Russell battled with extreme tyre overheating within the race.
Russell salvaged seventh, whereas Antonelli was initially capable of maintain Lewis Hamilton at bay throughout the first stint however ended up retiring with a throttle challenge.
It was an anticlimax for Antonelli after an enormous build-up to the race, which began by celebrating Bologna FC’s home cup success and concerned Antonelli inviting all of his classmates to the paddock. Antonelli was additionally seen going out of his solution to find time for followers within the paddock, handing out images and taking selfies.
It was a memorable weekend for Antonelli, which he understandably tried to savour. However, coming simply seven races into his fledgling F1 profession, the 18-year-old additionally felt that he has but to grasp the way to handle all the eye, admitting the entire expertise left him missing vitality contained in the cockpit.
“Total, I believe the weekend was in all probability the worst by way of efficiency, in order that’s why I am going to attempt to get well effectively and be again stronger in Monaco,” Antonelli stated.
“I completely love the help of the followers. I simply assume on my facet I did not handle the vitality that effectively, and that compromised undoubtedly the efficiency on observe. I might really feel it. I used to be not as relaxed, I used to be a bit extra tense whereas driving.
“So, forward of the following dwelling race, it was a extremely good lesson. However now we give attention to Monaco, as a result of it may be necessary to be on high of the sport.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Peter Fox / Getty Pictures
Antonelli additionally acknowledged that maybe he must be a bit extra selective in a race weekend with how he invests his time and vitality. “I have to be taught as effectively generally to say no and take a bit extra time for myself,” he added.
Crew consultant Bradley Lord acknowledged that each Mercedes and Antonelli will likely be taking up board classes from the Imola weekend because the squad balances out Antonelli’s schedule throughout his rookie marketing campaign.
“For all of us, and for Kimi, the very best precedence at the beginning is efficiency,” Lord stated when requested by Motorsport.com how difficult it was to handle the hype round its newest star.
“We knew this could be a giant weekend and there is been lots of consideration. I believe inside the group we have seen him as centered as ever and concentrated. However, clearly, experiencing all of this for the primary time, all of the issues you possibly can management but in addition all of the issues you possibly can’t management, is a brand new phenomenon.
“We have to view it as a studying expertise, perceive what had been the moments that lifted him and gave him vitality, and which bits probably felt like overload. After which we’ll adapt for each busy race weekends and notably for the following dwelling race in Italy in September as we go ahead.”
On this article
Filip Cleeren
Method 1
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information electronic mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
