Kimi Antonelli's Frustration and Redemption in Singapore

Kimi Antonelli admitted to driving "like an animal" in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying, a candid self-assessment after an overzealous Q3 relegated him to fourth, despite showing strong pace earlier in the session. While disappointed with his qualifying, Antonelli's race performance, where he finished fifth, drew praise from Mercedes' trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin, highlighting the rookie's promising talent.

Why it matters:

Antonelli's performance in Singapore, despite the qualifying misstep, underscores his rapid adaptation to Formula 1. For a rookie to show front-running pace and then recover strongly in the race demonstrates a crucial blend of speed and resilience. This bodes well for Mercedes' future, especially as they look for a long-term successor to Lewis Hamilton.

The details:

• Qualifying Setback: Antonelli was third quickest in Q2, matching teammate George Russell and Max Verstappen. However, in Q3, he pushed too hard, trying to carry excessive speed and becoming "a bit eager on the throttle," leading to snaps and increased tire temperature.
  • Shovlin noted that Antonelli's self-description of driving "like an animal" reflected his frustration at not maximizing the car's potential for a front-row start.
• Race Redemption: Despite the qualifying disappointment, Antonelli delivered a strong race, finishing fifth. Shovlin lauded his "early pace in qualifying [which] was extremely encouraging," and emphasized his "race pace, which was right on the money."
• Start Issues: Antonelli's start was less than ideal, losing positions to Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Shovlin explained this was due to a combination of lower grip on the inside of the track and Antonelli being "a little bit under-engaged to start," then over-correcting.
  • Despite this, Shovlin highlighted the positive: "great that he was able to get the places back against the Ferrari."

The big picture:

Antonelli's Singapore outing is a microcosm of a rookie's journey in F1 – immense talent and flashes of brilliance tempered by moments of over-exuberance. His ability to quickly learn from mistakes and deliver a solid race performance after a self-critical qualifying shows maturity beyond his years. This learning curve is vital for any driver aspiring to compete at the sharp end of the grid, particularly with the pressure of driving for a top team like Mercedes.

What's next:

Antonelli will undoubtedly take the lessons from Singapore into the next races. The experience of pushing the car to (and slightly beyond) its limits in qualifying, combined with managing a challenging race start and recovering positions, will be invaluable. Mercedes will be keenly observing his continued development as he gains more experience, with an eye on his long-term role within the team.