Kimi Antonelli’s first home Grand Prix didn’t go as he had hoped. In fact, Imola was likely the most challenging weekend of the season for the young Italian, who didn’t hide the fact that mental fatigue and the pressure of such a meaningful event affected him on the track, where he couldn’t perform at his best.
The weekend became complicated as early as qualifying, where he only managed thirteenth on the grid, confirming the difficulties he’s had understanding the tyres—issues that have also penalized him in other races. On a circuit where overtaking opportunities are limited, starting that far back means relying heavily on strategy, which, in Antonelli’s case, was working.
As one of the drivers who opted for a single stop, the Italian was climbing the order, taking advantage of a well-timed Virtual Safety Car. However, from that point onward, Antonelli began experiencing a throttle issue that eventually forced him to retire after it negatively impacted his pace, as the power delivery wasn’t consistent.
Beyond the final result, Kimi Antonelli focused on another key point: the mental fatigue caused by a weekend full of commitments and high expectations. In many ways, Kimi was thrown into a new world—starting as early as Wednesday—with a flurry of marketing activities, interviews, and events that made the weekend feel overwhelming.
“It was definitely a very intense weekend. Mentally, it was very demanding and exhausting. Being my first home race with so much going on, I think I didn’t manage my energy well,” Kimi said ahead of the Monaco GP.
“I feel I didn’t do a good enough job. I felt it when I got in the car—I felt it mentally. I wasn’t as present as I usually am, not as focused, but not because I was distracted. When you’re mentally tired, it’s hard to maintain focus. In that respect, I didn’t manage myself or my energy well. I couldn’t perform on track the way I wanted to. Obviously, it was a very disappointing weekend for me.”
“Clearly it’s not ideal, but it was a big lesson learned—especially looking ahead to the next home race at Monza, and in general for the upcoming races. I also took some time off to reset and recharge. I needed this break, and I think it’s important to start fresh.”
It’s not an issue of attitude—external events are decided by the team, and for a rookie, it’s not always easy to say “no.” The problem was more about not spending enough time focused purely on track preparation or disconnecting mentally due to too many commitments in just a few days.
“I don’t think it was really an issue related to sponsor activities. Of course, I was well aware before the weekend started that it would be more demanding than usual. But I think the real problem for me was spending too much time with other people. Not with my engineer, but with friends or guests who were at the race.”
“I think that was the real issue: spending too much energy on that side of things, and then not having enough left for the track—which was the most important thing. So it wasn’t really about team activities, but how I personally managed the situation, especially with people we had invited to be there.”
“We wanted to share the experience with some of our closest friends. But at the same time, I realized too late during the weekend that I was wasting too much energy on that side, and I didn’t have enough left for the most important part.”
“Driving an F1 car requires 100% concentration and commitment. Even being at 97% isn’t enough—and it makes a huge difference. Especially nowadays, when gaps between cars and drivers are so tiny. So in terms of approach, I’ve found a good way to manage the sessions. Miami, in particular, helped me a lot—especially in qualifying.”
“So the approach will be quite similar to what I’ve always done. But this time, it will definitely be a much calmer weekend for me. I’ll be able to dedicate all my time and energy to preparing for the session in the best possible way, to perform well on track.”
Now Kimi Antonelli is recharged ahead of Monaco—a track that demands maximum focus, with its close walls. This will only be his second time racing at the circuit, after his F2 experience last year, as he skipped F3, the only other series that competes in Monte Carlo during F1 weekends. It’s a challenge the Mercedes junior will have to handle well, especially in qualifying.
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