Antonelli "needs to learn to say no" after draining Imola F1 home race

Antonelli admits he needs to learn to say 'no' after draining Imola F1 home race

Mercedes Formula 1 rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli conceded that the intense buzz surrounding his Imola homecoming race weekend left him feeling drained and contributed to a difficult event.

The Weekend's Struggles: Why it matters

Antonelli's first Grand Prix start on Italian soil, near his native Bologna, did not unfold as he or Mercedes had hoped. He struggled with car confidence on Saturday, and both he and teammate George Russell faced excessive tyre overheating during the race. While Russell secured seventh place, Antonelli, despite initially managing to keep Lewis Hamilton behind in the early stages, ultimately retired due to a throttle issue.

This was a disappointing conclusion for Antonelli, following a significant build-up to the race. The weekend included celebrations for Bologna FC's domestic cup win and Antonelli inviting all his classmates to the paddock. He also made a considerable effort to connect with fans, distributing photographs and taking selfies.

Managing Energy: A Rookie's Lesson

Antonelli acknowledged that while it was a memorable weekend he wanted to savour, the experience, occurring just seven races into his F1 career, highlighted his need to better manage the attention he receives. He admitted the overwhelming nature of the weekend left him feeling low on energy inside the cockpit.

"Overall, I think the weekend was probably the worst in terms of performance, so that's why I'll try to recover well and be back stronger in Monaco," Antonelli stated. "I absolutely love the support of the fans. I just think on my side I didn't manage the energy that well, and that compromised definitely the performance on track. I could feel it. I was not as relaxed, I was a bit more tense while driving."

He added, "So, ahead of the next home race, it was a really good lesson. But now we focus on Monaco, because it's going to be important to be on top of the game." Antonelli also recognized the need to be more selective with his time and energy during race weekends, stating, "I need to learn as well sometimes to say no and take a bit more time for myself."

Mercedes' Perspective: Learning and Adapting

Mercedes team representative Bradley Lord confirmed that both the team and Antonelli would learn from the Imola weekend. The team plans to better balance Antonelli's schedule during his rookie season.

"For all of us, and for Kimi, the highest priority first and foremost is performance," Lord said when asked about managing the hype around their new star. "We knew this would be a big weekend and there's been a lot of attention. I think within the team we've seen him as focused as ever and concentrated. But, obviously, experiencing all of this for the first time, all the things you can control but also all the things you can't control, is a new phenomenon.

"We've got to view it as a learning experience, understand what were the moments that lifted him and gave him energy, and which bits potentially felt like overload. And then we'll adapt for both busy race weekends and particularly for the next home race in Italy in September as we go forward."