After the end of the qualifications of the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, it took almost an hour and a half in Kimi Antonelli before he could make his appearance – compulsory – in front of the journalists, in the “square” where the television channels await the pilots for the interviews. He still had red eyes. Obviously, his elimination during the first sequence of qualifications had very seriously affected him.
In fact, after a remarkable start to the season (the Italian scored points from his first Grand Prix, in Australia, in the rain), he no longer impresses so much. During the last six Grands Prix, he only scored points (his Montreal podium), and he couldn’t beat George Russell, his teammate at Mercedes, during qualifications.
Of course, this is only his first season in Formula 1. As a beginner, he has the right to make some mistakes. But instead of getting closer to the performances of his partner, on the contrary, he seems to regress and move away from it. “It is true, since the start of the European season, I have been fighting to find confidence in the car,” he admits. I even feel that I took a step back. ”
In lack of confidence
This confidence problem even arises as the main handicap for Kimi Antonelli. “This is a difficult phase of my career, because I feel that I no longer dare to push the car within its limits. Yesterday (Editor’s note: Friday), for example, I tried a little too much, and I went on a tail. Which affected my confidence even more. In fact, with my way of driving, it’s as if I was getting the problem, and suddenly, I have even less confidence in the car. ”
The Italian adds that he tries to adapt his piloting to his Mercedes, but that the exercise is not easy. “I surely already changed my style too much, it becomes forced, it’s difficult. I am more aggressive than George in the turn entrances, and in general, I am too aggressive, I try to maintain too much speed in the curves. Which is only accentuating the problem. ”
Mercedes still believes in him
On the side of the Mercedes stable, we do not panic (at least not yet). “The gap between Kimi and George is not catastrophic, tempers Gwen Lagrue, in charge of pilots within the German team. Kimi was only 3 tenths and a half late on George in Q1, it is not huge, especially on such a long circuit. ”
Kimi Antonelli’s empty passage brought to wonder if Toto Wolff and Gwen Lagrue made the right choice by placing Italian at Mercedes from his first season in F1, with the immense responsibility that such a stable entails. After all, George Russell had been “placed” for three years at Williams before being promoted to Mercedes, which rather well succeeded in the British.
Kimi Antonelli, in any case, was struggling to see on Saturday after the qualifications. The joy of having been appointed to Mercedes now gives way to pressure suffered within the stable with the star. “I will try to find the light at the end of the tunnel, and as quickly as possible,” he concludes. We wish him.
Mercedes will not be able to tolerate long that his pilot be eliminated in the first phase of qualifying. That said, we have a job within the team: as George Russell regrets, the Mercedes has visibly regressed in this middle of the season. The engineers are in the same tunnel as Kimi Antonelli.
