A whirlwind of emotions
Making his debut in an official F1 session in front of his home crowd; crashing out after just two laps; and announcing his entry into Formula 1 as a full-time driver for the next season, inheriting the car that belonged to Lewis Hamilton for over a decade. All of this at just 18 years old. The past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who, in 2025, will bring the Italian flag back to Formula 1 four years after Antonio Giovinazzi’s last race.
The young talent from Bologna shared his experiences in a sort of open letter on Mercedes’ official website, emphasizing how the team supported him, especially after the mistake he made during FP1 in Monza, when, as a first-timer, he ended up in the barriers at the Parabolica after just a couple of laps.
Mistakes and lessons
“Monza was emotional,” explained the future #12 of the Brackley team. “It’s one of my home tracks, and there was a lot of buzz around the whole weekend. I think it’s fair to say I learned a lesson in the hardest way possible with what happened in FP1. I enjoyed the two laps I managed, especially in front of the home crowd. It’s a memory I’ll cherish for a long time. Mentally, it will also help me come back stronger. The team supported me a lot. They taught me how to handle that moment and move past it without worrying too much.”
Preparing for 2025
Kimi Antonelli also highlighted how he is working to build strong relationships within the team, starting with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, and focusing on developing a bond with Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, who will be his race engineer next year. “Building a good relationship with George is important for next year, and seeing how Lewis works with the team has been great because he has so much experience. It really helps you understand his approach to work.”
“I don’t want to disturb them during the weekend,” Kimi Antonelli added, “but sometimes I ask them for advice or why they made a certain decision. They’re fantastic. It’s been great working with both of them. Then there’s Bono. I’ve worked with him and learned from him to be ready for 2025. I’m also strengthening my relationship with both crews. We can only perform at our best if there’s a two-way relationship on both sides of the garage.”
The learning continues, and March 2025 is closer than it seems.
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