Criticism continues to mount around Kimi Antonelli following his current performance in Formula 1 with the Mercedes team.
Antonelli surprised everyone when he was announced as an official Mercedes F1 driver. He further impressed during the early races of the 2025 season, showing that he deserved a place among the top 20 drivers in the world, particularly in one of the four leading teams. However, as his results have begun to struggle, the number of critics speaking out has grown significantly.
Many were skeptical from the start. A driver so young, with just a single year of experience in the junior categories, was launched directly into the team that had dominated the entire hybrid era, replacing a seven-time world champion. It was a risk that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff decided to take. Antonelli has not entirely disappointed: he finished fourth on his debut under very challenging conditions, secured pole position in the Miami Sprint, and scored his first podium in Canada, beating both McLaren drivers in the process.
However, in recent races, Antonelli has faced major challenges with the W16 car, struggling both due to technical issues and his own difficulties adapting. In qualifying, he rarely breaks into the top 10, and during races he often finds himself in the midfield, occasionally collecting points. This situation has led to criticism from experts and former drivers alike.
“I believe Kimi is a strong driver; he simply needs time,” Ralf Schumacher told the German newspaper BILD. “He has spent very little time in the junior series and therefore lacks experience.” On this point, the comparison with Max Verstappen is unavoidable: the Dutch driver even skipped both F3 and F2 before entering Formula 1, though he initially joined a smaller team, Toro Rosso.
“When everything works, he is fast,” Schumacher continued. “But currently, the car is too complex, and looking at his overall performance so far, I wouldn’t call him the new Max Verstappen.”
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