(Motorsport-Total.com) – Review: Two years ago, Kimi Antonelli made the biggest headlines on Friday in Monza. The just-turned-18 youngster was allowed to take part in his first official Formula 1 session in front of the home fans in Italy. Antonelli started like a rocket, burned a spectacular lap into the asphalt – and shortly afterwards crashed the car hard into the barrier.
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Nevertheless, he was shortly afterwards introduced as the successor to Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows. Two years later, he travels as the championship leader to his home race – something he probably would not have even dreamed of two years ago when he was standing in the gravel trap at Parabolica.
“I would have said, he should shut up,” he laughs when asked what he would have said at that moment if someone had told him that two years later he would come to Monza as the clear championship leader. “Just don’t joke with me.”
Difficult moment at Formula 1 debut
Because for Antonelli, that Monza Friday was “a very difficult day,” as he says. “I definitely did not want to introduce myself to this sport like that,” Antonelli says. “That was simply not the way I wanted to start everything.”
The Italian admits that the moment was very hard for him because it is not easy to get over such things, especially at the beginning. “So if someone had said to me while I was walking through the gravel trap: ‘You know what, in two years you will be leading the world championship at exactly this moment,’ I would have said: ‘You are probably just joking.'”
“But it actually happens. And I am very, very, very happy and very grateful. And yes, I just have to keep pushing.”
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A lot of pressure before first home race 2025
Even a year ago, the situation was anything but easy when Antonelli came to Monza. After a decent debut, the form of the Mercedes driver had dropped sharply at that time. In the eight European races before Monza, the rookie had managed to score just a single point.
After Imola, he admitted that the pressure at the home race was a bit too much for him and that he had allowed himself to be distracted too easily. The prospects before Monza were therefore anything but rosy.
Where Kimi Antonelli lost the most points in the 2026 championship battle
“I felt that I had to prove myself, that I had to prove that I belong in Formula 1,” he admits in retrospect. “I think that massively increased the pressure on myself, and that led to me driving, how shall I say, very tense.”
At that time, he did not enjoy the time in the car at all – unlike this year. Of course, the strong car plays a big role, but Antonelli also sees a big difference in experience. “I feel much more mature, have the situation much better under control. And when you then of course also achieve good results, that is always one less thing you have to prove.”
“And I have proven that I can win. I have proven that I can perform. And that’s why it’s great to come to my home race this weekend, but at the end of the day, it’s a race like any other,” he says.
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