By Callum Griffies
Kimi Antonelli’s first season in Formula 1 was a rollercoaster of emotions for the young driver.
The 19-year-old replaced seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton after his move to Ferrari. And was reassured that he would be given time as he settles into the responsibility of a Mercedes driver.
Despite a mixed start to the campaign. The rookie picked up his first Formula 1 pole and podium in Miami after finishing third.
Kimi Antonelli struggled in the mid-season due to car issues. These were mainly caused by the rear suspension upgrade package introduced by Mercedes.
The rookie struggled with consistency in the car and made several errors over race weekends including a crash in Austria with Max Verstappen and another with Charles Leclerc in Zandvoort.
Following Kimi Antonelli’s challenging period, team principal Toto Wolff made a surprising comment calling the driver “underwhelming” after his home Grand Prix in Monza.
However, Kimi Antonelli began to show his raw pace and talent quickly after the comment made by Toto Wolff. With strong performances in Azerbaijan and Singapore. As well as a dominant weekend from himself in Brazil. After finishing second in the sprint and in the race, which saw him claiming his second podium of the year.
However, Kimi Antonelli didn’t stop there. He secured back-to-back podiums in Las Vegas finishing just behind his teammate in third place.
As this consistency continued, the driver found himself fighting for a podium finish in Qatar. Unfortunately, a snap from the car in the final few laps saw him finish fifth behind Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.
As the final round approaches in Abu Dhabi, Antonelli aims to secure sixth place in the world championship. Currently trailing Lewis Hamilton by two points, Antonelli is determined to close the gap.
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