Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is currently facing a very difficult phase in his Formula 1 career. At Spa-Francorchamps, he suffered yet another elimination in Q1 during a challenging stretch of the 2025 season. What is most concerning is his growing lack of confidence in the Mercedes W16, which has become overly nervous and unpredictable, clashing with his natural driving style. Antonelli is trying to adapt and change, but he is struggling to drive the car smoothly and naturally.
The European leg of this season has been particularly tough for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as he continues to struggle to find any real satisfaction or progress. His confidence in the W16 has been steadily eroding due to a lack of harmony with the car, especially during corner entry. This was something Antonelli openly acknowledged even before arriving at the Belgian Grand Prix, emphasizing the urgent need for a turning point in this difficult part of the championship. However, the Spa weekend proved even more challenging than anticipated.
Antonelli’s struggle is clear from his post-qualifying comments after being eliminated again in Q1, following a similar setback the previous day in SQ1 during the sprint qualifying. On Friday, the elimination was linked to a spin that damaged the car’s floor, forcing the team to replace many aerodynamic parts before the sprint race. However, today’s elimination stemmed from a lack of performance and, most importantly, from a diminished confidence in the car that lately seems to have taken on a much more nervous character.
This limitation had already been evident in previous races, where Antonelli showed a clear lack of trust in the car in high-speed corners, an issue that was exacerbated at Spa. With a setup generally leaning toward lower downforce to reduce the gap on straights, it has become increasingly difficult for him to manage the W16 through the twisty sections.
It is no surprise that George Russell posted the best sector times on Spa’s long straights — the first and third sectors — while struggling more in the middle sector, where he lost nearly nine-tenths of a second compared to the fastest time. For Antonelli, battling a W16 that has become even harder to control due to its nervous nature, the challenges were even greater, particularly in the critical sector where maximum trust in the car is essential.
Looking at the sector two times, Antonelli ranked last, about a tenth of a second slower than Franco Colapinto, another driver struggling to get the most out of his car, especially in fast sections.
Kimi Antonelli shares this difficult scenario with Franco Colapinto, as both are currently struggling to find the necessary feel to place the car accurately into corners and carry speed through them. This forces them to lift off the throttle much earlier compared to their rivals.
“I’m honestly lacking confidence. I’m struggling to extract the maximum from the car, and it’s a tough moment. We just need to find the light at the end of the tunnel,” Antonelli told Sky Sports after qualifying.
He further explained the specific problems he is facing: “Lately, the car has become very nervous at corner entry, and with the way I drive, I struggle a lot because I can never carry the speed I want. This forces me to change my driving style, which makes me slower.”
Reflecting on his Friday spin, he said: “Yesterday, I pushed a bit too hard and lost control, which made me lose even more confidence. With the way I’m driving now, I’m only making the problem worse, and that gives me even less trust in the car.”
The best way to drive a Formula 1 car is without overthinking every steering input, but this is exactly what Antonelli has been unable to do recently. “I’m probably trying to change my driving style too much. It feels like I’m not driving naturally. Everything feels forced, the way I drive, and it’s really difficult.”
To regain the confidence needed for a breakthrough, Kimi Antonelli is missing a key ingredient that has also slowed him down in recent races: stability. For a seasoned driver like George Russell, who drives very cleanly, reaching the limit is easier, but for Antonelli, still in his rookie year in Formula 1, the excessive instability at corner entry is a major challenge. Adding to this difficulty is the fact that Mercedes itself is going through a tough performance phase.
“I’m a bit more aggressive with my inputs compared to George. I’m more aggressive overall. I tend to try to carry a lot of speed into corners, and with the limitations I have, I’m just making the problem worse. So, on my side, I’m trying to adjust my driving style a bit to find some balance. Because, obviously, perfect balance is impossible. I’m working on it, but it’s not easy.”
Antonelli will start the Belgian Grand Prix from the pit lane, having little to lose after initially qualifying 18th on the grid. This will also give Mercedes the opportunity to adapt his car setup to the weather conditions, possibly opting for a higher downforce configuration to provide him with greater confidence on a potentially wet track.
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