Kimi Antonelli faced a challenging home Grand Prix at Monza during the Italian GP, managing to secure only two points despite earlier podium success in Canada. The young Mercedes driver’s performance was hampered by a critical mistake and limited practice time, leading to frustration and criticism from his team principal, Toto Wolff.
Missing Key Practice Session Hindered Race Preparation
The turning point in Antonelli’s weekend came during the vital second practice session (FP2), where he was largely absent after a costly error at the second Lesmo corner. This mistake left him stuck in the gravel and restricted him to just four laps in FP2. As a result, Antonelli missed out on essential data gathering and race simulation, which severely impacted his qualifying and race performance. Despite starting seventh on the grid, he was unable to advance, finishing ninth in the race.
Antonelli Voices Frustrations Over Lost Practice Time
Reflecting on his difficulties, Antonelli explained the importance of FP2 to his race weekend.
It’s difficult when you miss a full practice, especially FP2, which is usually quite important. It’s where the track is the closest in terms of time and temperature to qualifying.
He went on to say that although FP1‘s longer runs provide some information, the green track conditions during that time made the data less useful for race setup.
The lack of proper long-run practice was a clear disadvantage.
I just didn’t do the long run in the most important session,
he admitted, adding,
I did a long run in FP3 but it was with soft tyres, which was quite irrelevant. That was penalising, mostly for the race today.
Challenges with Car Stability Hampered Race Performance
During the race, Antonelli struggled with rear-end instability, particularly on hard tires, which affected his lap times and confidence.
On the mediums, I felt pretty good, to be honest, with the car,
he noted, emphasizing a contrast to his difficulties on harder compounds.
On the hards, I struggled with the rear. I had instability in medium-high speed corners. I struggled overall with the rear support.
The Aftermath: Reflecting on a Harsh Lesson and Future Prospects
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza served as a stark reminder of how unforgiving Formula 1 can be when errors strike at crucial moments. As Max Verstappen secured a commanding victory and McLaren‘s team orders sparked debate, the focus now turns to Antonelli’s prospects. This setback raises important questions about his progression in F1 and the adjustments needed to overcome future challenges on the world stage.
