Kimi Antonelli says Toto Wolff’s pointed “underwhelming” assessment of his Italian Grand Prix will be used as “fuel” to raise his game, as the Mercedes rookie seeks a clean reset and a strong response in the coming races.
At Monza, Antonelli qualified closely to George Russell but slipped from P6 at the start, struggled on the hard tyre and picked up a penalty after forcing Alex Albon off track — an incident that also cost him a penalty point. He ultimately finished ninth after late-race shuffles, but the storyline of a disrupted weekend had already been written following his FP2 off that truncated preparation.
Early-season highs, mid-season bumps
The 19-year-old’s campaign has see‑sawed: standout moments included P4 on debut in a chaotic wet Australia, leading and setting fastest lap in Japan, Sprint pole in Miami and a maiden podium in Canada. Countering that, mechanical failures (Imola and Spain) and a handful of driving errors have interrupted momentum and track time during the European swing.
‘Clean weekends’ the new target
Antonelli agrees with the message from the top: cut the mistakes, rebuild rhythm and let the speed speak. He says the focus is on executing calm, disciplined weekends to regain the performance level shown earlier in the year. The team, he adds, remains fully aligned: consistency first, confidence to follow.
Measured against the brutal lens of Formula 1, rookies learn quickly that growth is non‑linear. Antonelli’s response — candid, accountable, determined — suggests the lesson has landed. Now comes the response on track.
