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Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a contender for promotion to Formula 1, said his first Formula 2 win at Silverstone showed he could handle pressure – a day after Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff challenged the young driver.
Wolff described the Italian, who entered Silverstone ninth in the standings after two successive weekends without scoring a point, on Friday as a “unique” driver – but the Mercedes boss also urged the youngster to prove himself after a difficult start to the Formula 2 season.
“His record in karting and Formula 1 junior racing is unique,” Wolff said. “Obviously the pressure is on. But as his father says, a champion has to be thrown into cold water and needs to swim.”
After putting in a confident performance to win a dramatic Formula 2 sprint race that started in heavy rain, Antonelli was asked if the race was a “showcase” of his mentality.
“Yes, I have to say, I don’t always manage to handle pressure well,” Antonelli admitted.
“Obviously I was under a lot of pressure this season, especially this year, to be honest. I have to say today that I handled it well. There is still some improvement to be made. [needed] Because I make mistakes sometimes. For example, I made a mistake on a lap yesterday during qualifying, and I lost a lot of time.
“So, sure, sometimes I still don’t perform as well as I should.” [well as] I could [10th fastest]But yes, I try every time to handle the pressure as best I can.
“And I think today was the highlight. Actually, yes, it was a big relief for me because it took a lot of weight off my shoulders, and hopefully we can get a good result tomorrow as well.”
Great 😘 that first one @Formula2 Feeling like a winner for Kimmy! pic.twitter.com/3wivKWYoWx
— Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 6, 2024
The 17-year-old started the race from pole position on the reverse grid and began to extend his lead – before an early red flag due to poor weather conditions led to a regrouping for another race start. Antonelli faced another restart shortly after when the safety car was deployed for three retirements on lap eight.
At that moment, Formula 2 championship leader Paul Aron retired from the race after colliding with Pepe Marti. At the same time, Aron’s title rival Isaac Hagar’s car slid off the ground and got stuck in the gravel.
Incredible scenes at Silverstone! 🤯
Here’s the moment the top two finishers in the championship withdrew from the sprint race 👇#F2 #BritishGrandPrize pic.twitter.com/fH1urt4MM7
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) July 6, 2024
Antonelli’s Prema teammate Oliver Biermann, recently confirmed as Haas’s F1 driver for 2025, also suffered mixed fortunes. He suffered front wing damage on the first lap, and later Biermann took a trip through the gravel – but managed to recover at high speed to continue the race. Biermann retired late in the race with a mechanical issue.
“I don’t think the pressure affects his performance in the car and the way he drives at all,” Wolff said.
“You can clearly see that this is a good standard with Uli Biermann. They are very close. Uli obviously had a very good race in Austria. [he won the sprint race] And Kimi on Sunday, they had a clutch release problem in the second race.
“So you have to learn how to swim. That’s obvious. It’s been a rapid progression in his career. He’s 17. He hasn’t even got a driving licence on the road.
“And the best people will be able to handle that, with the amount of scrutiny and pressure, and it’s going to get bigger.”
Winning the reverse sprint may have been just a win for Antonelli, but it was a race that took place in dangerous conditions – and was marred by numerous accidents.
“Today was special because it was my first day [win]First of all, it’s a track I really like, and the conditions were tough.
“This means that this is a special race. And yes, the next goal is to try to win a race in dry conditions,” said Antonelli.
Although Prema is historically the most successful F2 team on the grid, it has struggled to set up its new F2 car – while other teams such as Invicta, MP Motorsport and Campos have enjoyed great success – and Antonelli has been thrust into F2 without racing in F3. It is understood that his outlook for the upcoming races is moderate.
“I mean we don’t really have high expectations,” he said. “I think we’re in a good moment with the team now because we’re moving forward really well. We’re working really well and finding the way… Today showed that the work we’re doing is paying off.”
Taking his first Formula 2 podium, Antonelli experienced another “first” on Saturday after attending his first Formula 2 post-race press conference. Usually small in attendance, this one drew a crowd that focused almost exclusively on Antonelli – leaving the other two podium finishers, Zane Maloney and Gabriele Bortoletto, waiting until the clock ran out.
“It was very difficult to manage especially because [the media attention] “It all happened at the same time,” Antonelli said. “Fortunately, I have to say I have good people around me. I have my family, Mercedes and my team as well. [Prema]They were just trying to protect me.
“Especially because it’s so easy to crack under pressure in this situation. But yeah, I have to say they’re really helping me try to deal with this as best I can.”
Regardless of whether Antonelli moves to Formula 1 with Mercedes in 2025, it is clear that he is fully prepared to face the demands of the top level off the track. Meanwhile, his on-track credentials have been boosted by this star-studded drive.
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