Kimi Antonelli on the highs, lows, and mental battles of his first Formula 1 season. Kimi Antonelli opens up about the mental challenges of his debut Formula 1 season. .

Young Italian Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has learned to carve out his own space, tempering the early-season excitement from his debut races in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Antonelli’s Rollercoaster Start to His Rookie Season in Formula 1
Twelve races — that is enough to summarise the first half of Kimi Antonelli’s debut season in Formula 1. The young driver from Bologna, who entered the sport under the spotlight, made a strong impression from the very beginning. In the Australian Grand Prix, held under tricky weather and track conditions, he delivered a stunning fourth-place finish — a result that surprised even seasoned observers and established drivers.

His early flashes of brilliance continued in Miami and Montreal, where he secured his very first podium finish in Formula 1, confirming that his raw talent has the potential to place him among the sport’s elite. That initial promise, however, has not been consistent. In the six races that followed Montreal, Antonelli failed to score points in five of them. These disappointing outcomes were the result of a mixture of circumstances — some due to personal errors, such as during qualifying in Monaco or the opening laps of the Austrian Grand Prix, and others due to misfortune or mistakes made by the team.

These ups and downs are a natural part of the learning curve for any young driver experiencing the pressure cooker of Formula 1 for the first time. At just 18 years old, Kimi Antonelli has had to mature quickly in a fiercely competitive environment, and it is precisely in these turbulent moments that the support of family, experienced mentors, and a strong inner circle becomes essential. Their role is to help maintain emotional stability and provide perspective for a teenager thrust early into the global spotlight of Formula 1, a sport that can elevate — or crush — even the most promising talents.

The Mental Pressure and the Lesson Learned at Imola
Kimi Antonelli himself acknowledged the mental toll during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend at Imola, where he began to understand the importance of switching off and finding mental clarity amidst the chaos. It was at that race, held on home soil, that Antonelli grasped the need to carve out moments of solitude and silence to stay focused — a piece of advice previously suggested by the Mercedes Formula 1 team, which supports his development.

“In Formula 1, it feels like swimming in a sea full of sharks — you can fall into a trap and get eaten in an instant,” Antonelli told Sette, the weekly magazine of Corriere della Sera. “At Imola, I realised how important it is to take time for myself, moments when I can be alone in a quiet place and disconnect from the noise around me.”

Kimi Antonelli’s New Pre-Race Routine and Social Media Strategy
Kimi Antonelli also spoke about how he changed his pre-race approach to better prepare mentally. “In the engineers’ motorhome, there’s a room reserved for the drivers. I go there before getting into the car to visualise and mentally rehearse laps of the circuit. To do that properly, I need complete calm. In the past, I didn’t pay much attention to these aspects, but now I consider them essential to try and give 110%.”

This new mindset has also led to a revised relationship with social media. Antonelli now actively limits his screen time during race weekends. “Social media is important,” he explained, “but you have to be careful about how you use it. During race weekends, I try to check it as little as possible. It helps me stay focused and avoid emotional or mental distractions.”