Andrea Kimi Antonelli entered his debut Formula 1 season with the weight of expectation on his shoulders, seen by many as the next superstar for Mercedes in a new era following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. After an initial burst of strong results, the Italian teenager has found himself facing the toughest spell of his short F1 career, prompting both driver and team principal Toto Wolff to focus on a much-needed turnaround at the upcoming 2025 Belgian GP.
Antonelli’s rookie campaign began with optimism and promise, as he showcased poise far beyond his years in the opening races. He turned heads at the Australian Grand Prix, adapting to changeable weather conditions to finish a superb fourth on debut. Further points followed in China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, with only a single non-score in Bahrain marring a consistent start. The highlight came in Canada, where Antonelli stood on the podium alongside George Russell and Max Verstappen, becoming the third-youngest driver ever to reach the top three in Formula 1.
However, since Montreal, the results have dried up and setbacks have begun to mount. Technical failures forced retirements in Barcelona, while a crash in Monaco qualifying left Antonelli with little chance to recover in the race. In Austria, a first-lap incident with Verstappen marked another low, and at Silverstone, Antonelli’s race ended prematurely after contact with Isack Hadjar. The accumulation of incidents has left Antonelli openly searching for positives as he tries to steady himself in the high-pressure world of F1.
“I’m not super happy to be honest, too many zeroes scored,” Antonelli admitted following the British GP. “Since Canada I’ve been trying, I’ve been struggling to find some positives to be honest. It feels like nothing is really working on our way and just need to focus and reset and try to find again the light at the end of the tunnel because definitely I’m not going through a nice moment.”
Wolff backs Antonelli for Spa fightback
Inside the Mercedes garage, the focus has shifted from raw results to nurturing Antonelli’s mental strength and confidence. Toto Wolff has repeatedly emphasised that Antonelli’s learning curve was always going to feature both high points and inevitable dips, especially as he adapts to the intensity of Formula 1.
“It’s been a rough run since Montreal. Two races that were really sub-par and everybody feels that way in the team. And for Kimi also,” Wolff explained after Silverstone. “I think as a team we need to go back to a baseline. He’s a great driver; there’s a reason why we took him. And as a team we know what we’re able to achieve and reconcile, reset properly and then take it from there. There’s two more races to go and try to bounce back [before the summer break].”
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Wolff also admitted that Mercedes’ own errors have contributed to Antonelli’s struggles, particularly regarding pit stop strategies and communication: “Even until today I am OK with what happened. The first stop was a strategy blunder. We should have not brought him in. To be fair enough, he can’t really say that’s wrong, because of his lack of experience. So he was put in an impossible position.”
With additional pressure coming from speculation about Max Verstappen’s future and the arrival of upgrades at rival teams such as Ferrari, the spotlight on Antonelli has only intensified. Yet Mercedes are making a concerted effort to shield their rookie from undue criticism and encourage him to refocus on his strengths.
“It’s just important now to keep him in a good frame of mind and not make him suffer or blame himself too much,” Wolff continued. “I’m not sure he’s trying too hard. I think he wants to do well. And obviously there’s a ton of information that’s coming down on him. And his way of trying to extract the best from the car and I think saying, ‘OK, I know I can drive – what is it I need to do for that to come back?’ The whole work for us as a team and for the drivers is simplification. We are overthinking.”
Antonelli seeks breakthrough
The next stop on the calendar is Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgium GP, a circuit where Antonelli’s aggressive style and adaptability could pay dividends. Mercedes see this as an opportunity to press the reset button and for Antonelli to remind the paddock of his early-season pace. With support from within the team and a renewed focus on process rather than pure result, both Antonelli and Mercedes hope Spa will mark the start of a more positive run into the summer break.
The road ahead remains challenging, but with patience, clear guidance, and belief from his team principal, Antonelli has every chance of rediscovering his form. For Mercedes, helping their rookie to bounce back is about much more than just the next result—it’s about building the foundation for long-term success.
