Kimi Antonelli: How Pressure Shaped My 2025 Rookie Season

Kimi Antonelli, reflecting on his first year with Mercedes in 2025, has candidly discussed the pressures that nearly overwhelmed him during his rookie season. The Italian driver admitted that he allowed these pressures to "destroy" him at times, but ultimately, the experience was a profound learning opportunity.

When Lewis Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari, Mercedes looked to Antonelli, who had swiftly risen through the ranks, bypassing F3 to jump directly into F2. Initially, Antonelli had a promising start, but as the European leg of the season unfolded, he hit a rough patch. This downturn left him feeling as though he was failing those who had put their faith in him.

In a revealing conversation on SAP's _Significant Figures_ podcast, Antonelli, then 19, shared: "I think mostly last year I felt this, because obviously I’ve had a good start of the season, then I’ve had a difficult period, the European season, where I really struggle. And in that moment I felt... I let the pressure kind of destroy me as well during that period, because I felt like I was letting down so many people who had believed in me—especially Toto [Wolff], who was the main one who took the decision."

Antonelli described how a pivotal meeting with his team after the European season was a turning point. It helped him reset and regain his confidence, leading to a much stronger second half of the season. "That gave me the confidence, being able to overcome those difficult moments, and gave me the confidence I have this year," he noted. "It also made me learn a lot about myself, not only as a driver but as a person as well."

When asked about the insights he gained, Antonelli explained that the European season was a steep learning curve: "In that European season, most of the things I’ve done didn’t help me at all! But also I’ve learned about how my body responds to those moments, how my brain responds, what helps myself get back into the right focus, the right mindset... What helps me to stay 100% in terms of energy during the whole weekend, so how to manage myself with events, obviously the driving and everything."

The young driver reflected on how intense the learning process was, akin to cramming three years' worth of experience into one. "I feel like obviously the team did an incredible job on trying to protect me, but the learning curve… I think I’ve learned much more than if I would have gone in a smaller team," Antonelli remarked. "It was overwhelming, physically, mentally, because I’ve had so many new experiences as well."

Now in his sophomore season, Antonelli has turned those lessons into success, leading the Drivers' standings since the third round in Japan. His journey from a challenging rookie year to a formidable contender in 2026 highlights the resilience and growth that has defined his young career.