Rosberg Surprised by Antonelli's Struggles Despite Exceptional Talent

Why it matters:

Former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg has offered a surprising assessment of Kimi Antonelli, praising his raw talent but also highlighting his significant struggles in his debut season. Antonelli, once touted as the next big star, has faced a challenging start, making numerous errors and consistently finishing behind teammate George Russell.

The big picture:

• Antonelli's rookie F1 season has been tougher than anticipated, marked by incidents like two gravel traps and a collision with Charles Leclerc in Zandvoort.
• Rosberg, the 2016 champion, asserts Antonelli's talent is "on the level of Hamilton or Verstappen" based on his karting career, calling him an "exceptional talent."
• However, Rosberg also points out Antonelli's "very, very many mistakes" and a lack of pace, while acknowledging the current generation of F1 cars are "extremely difficult to drive."

Adding to the challenge:

• George Russell is performing "phenomenally," rated by Rosberg as "one of the best drivers out there this year," making Antonelli's task even harder.
• Rosberg, drawing from personal experience, understands the mental pressure on Antonelli, stating, "I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now."

What's next:

Antonelli's focus must be on reducing errors, steadily gaining speed, and maintaining composure. His talent is undeniable, but he now needs to prove he can harness it in F1's demanding environment.