The young Italian driver, Kimi Antonelli, who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes starting next season, shared his thoughts on his relationship with the seven-time Formula 1 champion. But not only that, the eighteen-year-old also expressed his feelings about his first encounters with the world of Formula One.
Kimi Antonelli reveals that he “resembles” Lewis Hamilton and, regarding Mercedes…
“In terms of style, he is similar to me, with the car having a lot of understeer. I was in Singapore, and by listening to him talk with the engineers, I learned a lot,” the Italian stated in an interview for the Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“What I’ll need to get used to is hearing all the engineers with headsets, because I’m someone who doesn’t talk much. But if they speak, it’s to give useful information; I’ll have to learn the procedures well.”
“If you press the wrong button, it’s a disaster. Soon, a seat with a steering wheel will arrive at my home to practice starts and various procedures. Also because you need to know where each button is without having to look.”
Of course, now for Kimi Antonelli, a journey of physical and mental adaptation begins to prepare for the first tests in Bahrain. The eighteen-year-old also explained why Mercedes decided to give him the seat in 2025: “The great speed I showed right away. I struggled initially with race pace, but after a test at Spa, they saw a clear step forward and were convinced. And two days later, I got the call that they would take me for 2025.”
The driver from Bologna finally reflected on his official Formula One debut, including the mistake and subsequent crash at Monza.
“That first lap was a unique emotion with all those people in the stands. Then I became… aggressive. Russell? He wasn’t very happy, but before heading into Parabolica, I was going fast. I have a good relationship with George; he hasn’t given me much advice, but for now, everything’s fine. But next year, I want to beat him.”
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