Andrea Kimi Antonelli Maintains High Confidence Despite Monza Practice Off
Summary
Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli insists his confidence is undimmed after an FP2 off at Monza, even as he navigates a challenging phase in his F1 journey.
Why it matters
Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli remains confident despite a recent incident during the second practice session at Monza, as he seeks to overcome a challenging period in his young F1 career.
The details
- During Friday afternoon's FP2, Antonelli's car slid at the second Lesmo corner, causing him to drift into the gravel trap and get stuck.
- This incident cost the 19-year-old valuable track time, marking another setback after his FP1 debut a year prior also ended in a crash at Parabolica.
- Antonelli stated, "I just pushed a bit too hard for the grip at that moment and it was a shame. The day was looking good. I had a good FP1 and then the start of FP2 was looking strong, so confidence is still high."
- He acknowledged that a different program might be necessary for the following day but expressed readiness for any adjustments.
Meanwhile, at Mercedes
George Russell, who finished 10th in FP2, also reported struggling with confidence and experiencing similar moments of instability in the W16.
- Russell described the car as "difficult to keep in a good spot" and noted the challenges of driving a low-downforce setup at Monza, which resulted in a "pretty loose" rear end.
- He conceded three-tenths to Lando Norris, the pacesetter in the McLaren, anticipating a tight battle on Saturday.
Original Article :https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/antonelli-insists-confidence-is-still-high-de...
