Kimi Antonelli is one of the most highly anticipated rookies in recent memory. The Italian driver must adapt quickly to life at the sharp end of the field – but he is not afraid of setting ambitious targets.
Immediate pressure on Kimi Antonelli to perform
Over the last few seasons, a common narrative in Formula 1 has been that rookies need time to adapt and fulfil their potential.
However, the immediate performance being shown by Franco Colapinto has essentially ended this consensus.
Even putting aside Colapinto’s brilliant debut, Kimi Antonelli cannot afford to spend a few seasons getting up to speed.
The 18-year-old will be likely compete with the likes of Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from round one in Bahrain.
Any shortcomings will be impossible to hide, unlike other drivers who have made their F1 debuts with teams further down the field.
Antonelli: I want to outperform George Russell
Despite the immense pressure surrounding him, Kimi Antonelli is more than confident he can rise to the challenge:
“The great speed – I had that right from the start,” Antonelli told Gazzetta.
“I struggled at the beginning with the race pace, but after a test at Spa they [Mercedes] saw a clear step forward and were convinced.”
Although Lewis Hamilton’s exit forced Mercedes’ hand, the Silver Arrows have clearly shown immense faith in Antonelli’s abilities.
Mercedes’ decision at the end of 2023 to put Antonelli directly into Formula 2 (skipping Formula 3) was early evidence of their conviction.
Antonelli himself shares this mentality, explaining that he wants to outperform teammate George Russell from day one:
“I have a good relationship with George, he didn’t give me great advice, but for now everything is fine.
“But next year, I want to beat him.”
Mercedes to evaluate their new line-up
Antonelli’s comments are refreshingly candid, with the 18-year-old speaking openly about his ambitions.
Whilst all drivers want to beat their teammates, very few make it an explicit target in their rookie season. Even fewer would make such comments against a driver of Russell’s calibre.
Then again, Toto Wolff hasn’t shown such enthusiasm for the youngster because he envisages him as a ‘number 2’ driver.
Mercedes clearly see Kimi Antonelli as the future. In around four months, the team will have their first indications into how he compares to George Russell.
The inter-team battle at Brackley will be a fascinating one, especially since next year’s W16 should fight for podiums at the bare minimum – and potentially race victories.
