Kimi Antonelli has admitted that his last two race weekends delivered some of the “biggest lessons” of his young Formula 1 career, after issues in both Barcelona and Austria tested his consistency.
Key Highlights
- Kimi Antonelli says he has taken “biggest lessons” from recent race weekends and arrives at Silverstone with added motivation.
- A technical issue caused a DNF in Barcelona, while a Qualifying mistake in Austria cost him a front-row opportunity.
- Despite setbacks, Antonelli recovered strongly in Austria and remains confident about his pace heading into the British Grand Prix.
- The 19-year-old says he is focused on maximising every session as the championship battle tightens at the top.
Antonelli Reflects on Recent Setbacks
The Mercedes driver suffered a technical failure in Barcelona that led to his first DNF of the season, while a mistake in Qualifying at the following round in Austria cost him a potential front-row start.
Although he recovered well on Sunday with a strong drive from P4, Antonelli acknowledged that the recent run has left him more determined heading into the British Grand Prix.
Barcelona DNF and Austria Qualifying Errors
In Barcelona, Antonelli was running competitively before a technical issue abruptly ended his race, halting what had been a promising performance.
At the next round in Austria, he felt comfortable in the car but admitted he did not fully extract performance in Qualifying, which left him further back than expected on the grid.
He also pointed to timing and track conditions during a yellow flag phase, noting that George Russell handled the situation better and capitalised effectively.
Recovery Drive and Championship Impact
Starting from P4 in Austria, Antonelli produced a strong recovery drive and nearly closed in on Max Verstappen for second place by the end of the race. However, George Russell’s victory moved him up to second in the Drivers’ Championship standings, reducing Antonelli’s lead to 40 points.
While disappointed by missed opportunities, the 19-year-old insisted that the underlying pace across both weekends showed he remains competitive at the front.
Lessons Learned From Recent Weekends
Antonelli explained that one of his key takeaways is the importance of maximising every session, as opportunities can change quickly across a race weekend.
He stressed that drivers must stay alert at all times and avoid any lapses in focus, especially during critical moments in Qualifying and race starts. He also highlighted issues with braking and early stint performance in Austria as factors that limited his overall result.
“Fire Inside” Ahead of Silverstone Return
Despite recent setbacks, Antonelli said he now carries a “big fire inside” heading into the British Grand Prix, while maintaining focus on execution and procedure. He emphasised the need to stay disciplined and continue extracting maximum performance from both himself and the car.
Antonelli also expressed excitement for Silverstone, describing it as one of the best tracks and atmospheres of the season, while acknowledging the challenge posed by rivals including Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari. With the Sprint weekend returning, he expects a demanding but exciting battle as he looks to convert pace into results.
