Kimi Antonelli is ready for the new Formula 1 season: after a full year of experience, he feels more composed. Over the winter, he carried out preparation aimed at adapting to the new way of tackling corners in modern F1 cars. The section dedicated to race starts was particularly interesting: “Some focused on starts, while others prioritized efficiency.”
A year ago, Kimi Antonelli was on the verge of his F1 debut. Twelve months later, the scenario is very different, as Antonelli himself explained to Motorsport.com. “I remember the tension, I was nervous, there was excitement and the fear of making a mistake, all those feelings were there. I was certainly not calm.” Kimi also revealed a curious insight: “I reviewed the onboard footage from a year ago and compared it with footage from the recent tests in Bahrain. You can see very clearly from the steering movements how tense I was, whereas the Sakhir images show a much smoother drive. The differences are very clear.”
Antonelli admitted that the year passed quickly but was extremely intense in terms of experience. “Twelve super-intensive months, we never stopped. Looking back, it was a year full of highs and lows, with a very large ‘delta’! What strikes me is how much I managed to learn, more than I initially expected. I’m happy, because it has made me better prepared for this season.”
At the start of 2025, Antonelli was a rookie behind the wheel of a top team, almost an enigma to those unfamiliar with his career path. Today, he is still very young but with a year of F1 experience, and above all, driving a car that enters the season with more certainty. This could bring a different kind of pressure compared to twelve months ago. Kimi, however, denies feeling it: “At the moment I don’t feel much pressure, I am aware of the opportunity we might have this weekend, but we need to check on track if we are competitive as our rivals claim. I know I might have a good chance, but I am much calmer than I was last year.”
Winter preparation focused on cardio and cornering
Antonelli carefully managed his winter preparation. Nothing was left to chance, as he explained with an interesting detail: “The training was focused mainly on cardio, but during the Barcelona tests I noticed a significant difference compared to last year. In corners, I felt less ‘G’ on my neck, but the time spent in corners is longer than in 2025. So we directed the training in that direction: last year the strain on the neck was due to a peak of G-force for a few seconds, now we use less weight but for a longer duration.”
Race starts and the ‘oper mind’ approach
According to Kimi, the debate on race starts is understandable. Technical choices made by power unit manufacturers lead to prioritizing certain aspects over others, seeking the best possible compromise. “The choice of turbo type is the result of strategic decisions: some prioritized the start, others preferred efficiency. In our case, I think it was clear in Bahrain that we are not lightning-fast at the start, but there is room for improvement.”
“Ultimately, the parameters vary. When you try a start, you also have to consider the tire wear at that moment. In our specific case in Bahrain, we tested at the end of a long run, when the tire was very worn. From what we saw, all teams using the Ferrari power unit seem very strong at starts, but again, there are many parameters to consider. You need to go on the throttle at the right timing, the turbo speed must be in the correct window, otherwise there’s a risk of stalling when releasing the clutch. It will take some time to get it right.”
Driving approach: adapting without drastic changes
Regarding his driving style, Antonelli says the changes exist but will soon feel familiar. “I don’t think it’s necessary to completely overhaul your approach. The English say you need to be ‘open minded’. Indeed, there are an increasing number of details to pay attention to: attacking, defending, using boost or managing efficiency. If you make a mistake, you pay the price in the next lap. You must be very careful with throttle application, as there are many details that now significantly impact performance. But in terms of pure driving, I don’t see a drastic change: in corners you still have to push and exploit every opportunity.”
Kimi Antonelli’s transition from a nervous rookie to a calculated veteran-in-the-making highlights the cerebral nature of the new technical era. While the visual of Ferrari-powered cars launching off the line might grab the headlines in Melbourne, Antonelli’s focus on the “efficiency game” suggests that Mercedes is playing a longer tactical match aimed at late-race energy reserves. With the physical demands of cornering shifting toward endurance rather than peak impact, the young Italian’s refined training and “open-minded” approach could be the deciding factor in the high-stakes development war of 2026.
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