Why Canada gave Kimi Antonelli his first F1 podium and a much-needed relief. Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his first Formula 1 podium with a third-place finish at the Canadian GP.

Antonelli on the podium in Montreal, a sigh of relief after a difficult trio of races
Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his first career podium in Formula 1 with a third place at the end of a challenging Canadian Grand Prix and breathed a sigh of relief. After three complicated races, the young Mercedes driver can finally smile, closing a perfect Sunday both in terms of management and result.

A brilliant start and a race like a veteran
The key to the race was the start, as Kimi Antonelli himself explained after the checkered flag in the Canadian Grand Prix. He delivered a performance managed with great maturity, despite tire degradation in the final part:

“In the last stint, I pushed a bit too hard behind Max Verstappen, I started to degrade the front left and the last laps were really stressful because it was starting to struggle and the McLaren cars were coming.”

The pressure increased further when, a few laps from the end, the Safety Car neutralized the race:

“It was definitely a really difficult moment. I was trying especially in sector 2 to create a gap so I would be safe and not under attack at the end of the straight. Bono was telling me the gap every lap after every sector, so it wasn’t easy. Then the Safety Car came out and when I saw that Oscar pitted, I hoped the race wouldn’t restart because I surely would have been passed.”

An important day for Kimi Antonelli’s future in F1
In an environment where rumors can grow enormously after a few races, the young Italian driver admitted this result marks a turning point:

“I’m very happy with the result and I can finally breathe a big sigh of relief now,” Kimi Antonelli emphasized, who may have started doubting the team’s confidence and more.

“It was definitely a good race, everything was managed in the best way. I’m very happy with this result, it’s very important for the team but especially for myself. We will try to keep going like this in the next races.”

Finally, Andrea Kimi Antonelli revealed his feelings at the start of the race: “I felt it coming and… it arrived. So I’m very happy. I dedicate it to myself.”