Kimi Antonelli Expresses Huge Relief as Key F1 Phase Comes to a Close

Kimi Antonelli welcomes the end of Formula 1’s European leg after a bruising run that stalls his rookie momentum with Mercedes. He speaks post-Monza, intent on a reset for the flyaways.

The 19-year-old starts strongly, scoring in five of the opening six rounds after replacing Lewis Hamilton. That early consistency hints at a solid baseline for driver and team.

Europe proves costly. Across nine rounds, Antonelli gathers only three points, with a best of ninth at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Canada remains his standout weekend.

His Canadian podium, third place, confirms the underlying potential when execution, car balance, and conditions align. The contrast with Europe is stark and instructive for Mercedes.

“I’m really happy that it’s finished,” Antonelli says of the European phase, targeting Azerbaijan as a platform to rebuild. The goal is to recapture early-season rhythm and repeatable processes.

Monza underlines both promise and weaknesses. He qualifies seventh and starts sixth after another driver’s penalty. Wheelspin ruins the launch, dropping him to tenth at the first chicane.

He recovers to ninth, aided by encouraging single-lap pace and tidier race management. Starts remain the obvious focus, with a quick turnaround before Baku demands rapid fixes.

From a performance standpoint, Mercedes shows glimpses of a workable qualifying platform. Converting that into race-day result consistency remains the central task for the engineering group.

The next three events pose varied challenges. Baku rewards low-drag efficiency and braking stability. Singapore’s street layout punishes errors, where driver safety and tyre discipline are critical.

The United States round offers another opportunity to reset procedures and exploit setup learning. Antonelli’s objective is straightforward: re-establish repeatable points finishes.

In the wider picture, Max Verstappen remains the benchmark, as reflected in Red Bull’s sustained form. Mercedes must translate incremental gains into race-day returns.

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