– Review: Two years ago, Kimi Antonelli made the biggest headlines on Friday in Monza. The just-turned-18 youngster was allowed to take part in his first official Formula 1 session in front of the home fans in Italy. Antonelli started like a rocket, burned a spectacular lap into the asphalt – and shortly afterwards crashed the car hard into the barrier.
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Nevertheless, he was shortly afterwards introduced as the successor to Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows. Two years later, he travels to his home race as the championship leader – something he probably wouldn’t have even dreamed of two years ago when he was standing in the gravel trap at the Parabolica.
“I would have said he should shut up,” he laughs when asked what he would have said at that moment if someone had told him that two years later he would come to Monza as the clear championship leader. “Just don’t joke with me.”
Difficult moment at Formula 1 debut
Because for Antonelli, that Monza Friday was “a very difficult day,” as he says. “I definitely didn’t want to introduce myself to this sport like that,” Antonelli says. “That was simply not the way I wanted to start everything.”
The Italian admits that the moment was very hard for him because it is not easy to get over such things, especially at the beginning. “So if someone had said while I was walking through the gravel trap: ‘You know what, in two years at exactly this moment you will be leading the world championship,’ I would have said: ‘You’re probably just joking.'”
“But it actually happens. And I am very, very, very happy and very grateful. And yes, I just have to keep pushing.”
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A lot of pressure before first home race 2025
Even a year ago, the situation was anything but easy when Antonelli came to Monza. After a decent debut, the Mercedes driver’s form had dropped sharply at that time. In the eight European races before Monza, the rookie had only managed to score a single point.
After Imola, he admitted that the pressure at the home race was a bit too much for him and that he had allowed himself to be distracted too easily. The prospects before Monza were therefore anything but rosy.
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“I felt like I had to prove myself, that I had to prove that I belong in Formula 1,” he admits in retrospect. “I think that massively increased the pressure on myself, and that led to me driving, how should I say, very tense.”
Back then, he absolutely did not enjoy the time in the car – unlike this year. Of course, the strong car plays a big role, but Antonelli also sees a big difference in experience. “I feel much more mature, have the situation much better under control. And when you also achieve good results, that’s always one less thing you have to prove.”
“And I have proven that I can win. I have proven that I can deliver performance. And that’s why it’s great to come to my home race this weekend, but at the end of the day, it’s a race like any other,” he says.
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