In a race where it was very easy to go off track, as shown by both some rookies and more experienced drivers, the only rookie to finish the race was Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Honorable mention also goes to Oliver Bearman, although he is no longer considered a “novice” by regulations, having already competed in three Grands Prix.
The Italian started from 16th place but managed to gain crucial positions thanks to several DNFs. He did an excellent job keeping calm and the car on track, bringing it up to fourth place; however, a penalty for unsafe release cost him the position, but it does not take away from his phenomenal debut.
Even Toto Wolff could not help but praise his protégé. “Kimi started 16th, and he was lucky that some cars went off track. He approached the race the right way, overtaking one by one, and showed great pace when needed, even bringing the car up to fourth place. He is really impressive. Even more experienced drivers had incidents—it was easier to go off than to drive—but he kept his nerves in check. He has a bright future if he continues like this,” he told Sky Sport.
“His penalty was due to a small pit lane incident; they didn’t even show it, and 90 seconds later, the penalty arrived—we couldn’t even contest it,” he added.
It was certainly a positive day for the Austrian, as Mercedes unexpectedly reached the podium with Russell. “George manages to extract more than the car’s potential. He doesn’t make mistakes, he is calmer. He is a true leader, and we are lucky to have him,” Wolff admitted.
At the same time, however, his attention was also on Lewis Hamilton, who struggled with his SF-25: “He was with us for so long that we can’t forget him. We care about what he is doing, even if on track he is a rival and we want to beat him.” – he concluded at the end of the Australian Grand Prix.
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