Kimi Antonelli reflects on Spa redemption one year after hitting “rock bottom”. Antonelli celebrates Belgian GP redemption after painful 2025 Spa weekend.

A complete reversal of fortunes

How much can the world change in a year? In Formula 1, where everything moves at extraordinary speed, that transformation can feel even more dramatic. Looking at the outcome of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, it seems almost impossible to believe that, 12 months earlier, this year’s winner may not even have been certain he would still be on the Spa starting grid the following season.

Of the many victories Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already claimed during this Formula 1 championship campaign, this one undoubtedly carries a particularly special meaning. The Mercedes driver triumphed at the same circuit where, one year earlier, he endured what was unquestionably the worst weekend of his F1 career.

Kimi Antonelli finished 17th in the Sprint after starting 19th, was eliminated in Q1 in 18th place during Saturday’s qualifying session and crossed the line only 16th in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. It was a disastrous weekend from beginning to end, while the images of him struggling to hold back tears during the post-race interviews were seen around the world.

At the time, questions were being asked about whether Toto Wolff had acted too hastily by promoting him to Mercedes, whether Kimi Antonelli was truly ready for Formula 1 and whether the young Bologna-born driver had a long-term future in the championship. Those doubts now seem extraordinary when compared with the position he has reached today.

From rock bottom to the top at Spa

During the post-race press conference, Kimi Antonelli was reminded of the remarkable contrast between this season’s result and what he experienced at Spa one year earlier. The Mercedes driver admitted that, after everything he had gone through in 2025, he could never have imagined finding himself in his current position only 12 months later.

“Could I ever have imagined being in this position only 12 months later? No, absolutely not,” Kimi Antonelli commented. “Last year, I probably hit rock bottom here, so it was a very difficult weekend for me from a mental point of view.

“This year, however, it has gone considerably better. Had you asked me this question at the same time last year, I probably would have said no.”