(Motorsport-Total.com) – Kimi Antonelli has definitively left behind the status of a young talent in his second Formula 1 season. The Mercedes driver leads the World Championship with a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton and is thus far more than just the surprise of the season. Exactly for this reason, Sky expert Naomi Schiff demands changing the narrative around the Italian.
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Antonelli was thrown into the deep end at his Formula 1 debut at just 18 years old. Mercedes decided on the then still inexperienced Italian after Hamilton’s departure, taking a considerable risk. Meanwhile, it is becoming clear: the decision seems to be paying off.
Schiff therefore believes that Antonelli’s performances should no longer constantly be explained by his age. The Italian is still young and at the beginning of his career. At the same time, he has now proven often enough that he can keep up at the highest level.
“We now have to reach a point where we stop looking at him like this little boy, thinking: ‘Wow, how is he doing that?'”, Schiff explains in the podcast Up To Speed. “He is doing it. He has been doing it all along and is now proving that he can.”
“He doesn’t have the same burden on his shoulders”
For Schiff, it is particularly noticeable how unburdened Antonelli appears. While other drivers increasingly come under pressure due to their situation, the Mercedes driver seems to deliver his performances with remarkable ease.
“There is something in his body language,” says Schiff. “It seems as if he doesn’t have the same kind of ballast or burden on his shoulders as some of the drivers around him.”
Of course, his age also plays a role here. Antonelli is only in his second Formula 1 season and does not have to deal with years of expectations. Mercedes has built him up as a long-term project, giving him a certain leeway.
Schiff sees this as a decisive difference compared to other drivers at the top. “He is still at the very beginning of his career,” explains the former W Series driver. Mercedes took “a big gamble” with his promotion. “It is paying off, and that definitely plays into his hands.”
However, this bonus of youth should not lead to Antonelli’s performances being permanently sold as a surprise.
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Antonelli now delivers like an established top driver
Because the results now speak for themselves. Antonelli leads the drivers’ standings and has thus prevailed against significantly more experienced competition. For Schiff, a change in perspective is therefore necessary.
“I will be less surprised if he maintains this form,” says Schiff. She draws a direct comparison to Mercedes teammate George Russell. While Antonelli benefits from his role as a young talent, she sees Russell in a completely different situation.
“With George, it’s more like: ‘Okay, buddy, what’s going on here? We really need you to bring in wins to justify your position in the team,'” Schiff describes the difference.
Russell entered the season with high expectations. As an established Mercedes driver, he was supposed to play a central role in the fight for wins and the World Championship. Instead, he has apparently not yet been able to deliver the performances many had hoped for.
Schiff believes Russell can turn the World Championship around
Although Antonelli is currently in the spotlight, Schiff warns against writing off Russell already. On the contrary: she considers it very likely that the Brit can still turn his difficult situation around. “I would be more surprised if George were not able to turn his situation around,” she explains.
After all, Russell is a driver “in whom we really had high hopes before the season.” The fact that things have not gone accordingly for him so far does not change his fundamental quality.
And standing between them is none other than Lewis Hamilton, who only switched from Mercedes to Ferrari this year, thus enabling a direct comparison with his former team somewhat from the outside. “I know that Lewis stands between them, and we will not exclude him from this fight,” says Schiff.
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