Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli reflected on a disappointing Belgian Grand Prix weekend, admitting that poor qualifying performance at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit severely limited his chances on race day. The young Italian talent recognised that starting from the back put him at a major disadvantage, and he is now determined to work on this area in order to regain the opportunity to fight for points on Sundays. He also shared the encouraging words he received from seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton at the end of the race.
Following a very difficult qualifying session on Saturday, Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Sunday did not unfold much better. Due to the introduction of a new power unit, the Mercedes driver was forced to start the race from the pit lane. While he showed promising pace in brief moments, he spent most of the race stuck behind long DRS trains, which made overtaking nearly impossible.
The most enjoyable part of the race for the 18-year-old from Bologna came right after his pit stop, when he found himself with some clean air. During that brief window of opportunity, Antonelli managed to set the fastest lap of the race. However, the effort proved to be largely symbolic, as he quickly rejoined a pack of cars battling for 11th place and was once again trapped in traffic.
“In the few laps where I had free air, I was able to enjoy myself a little bit,” said Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the end of the race at Spa-Francorchamps. “But then I got stuck again, and that was frustrating, because you can’t really show the true pace you have.”
“When I was in clean air, I managed to set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix. But then I ended up behind a long train of cars and was lapping two seconds slower. It was difficult, but the truth is, I shouldn’t have been starting that far back in the first place. I think I need to focus on improving my qualifying sessions and rebuilding my confidence with the car so I can start further ahead. Because when I do start in the front part of the grid, everything plays out very differently.”
Qualifying—especially performance over a single flying lap—has emerged as the main weak point for the young driver from Emilia-Romagna. At Spa, his underwhelming performance in the qualifying session proved costly, leaving him in a compromised position for the rest of the weekend. Antonelli is fully aware of this issue and is determined to work on maximising his use of the Soft compound tyres during crucial moments in Saturday’s official sessions.
“I have to qualify better, to start further up the grid,” he reiterated. “Even because in those races where I did start further ahead, it ended up being a completely different story compared to what happened this weekend.”
In the closing moments of the weekend, Kimi Antonelli also revealed a brief but meaningful exchange he had with Lewis Hamilton after the race. The seven-time World Champion visited the Mercedes garage—his former team—and took time to offer support to Antonelli following what had been a frustrating weekend.
“I had a short conversation with Lewis,” said Antonelli. “He told me to keep my head up, and reminded me that it’s normal to go through difficult weekends. He told me to keep believing. It was a really kind gesture.”
Antonelli’s reflection on the Spa weekend highlights both the challenges he faces as a young driver adapting to Formula 1 and his determination to grow stronger. With support from veterans like Hamilton and an honest approach to his own weaknesses, the young Italian continues to gain valuable experience during his debut season with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
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