Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes F1 rookie, revealed that a mid-season update to the car’s rear suspension set back his progress by several critical months during his debut year. The decision to alter the rear geometry at the Imola Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was aimed at enhancing the team’s slow-corner speed and tire performance, but it ended up destabilizing the car, affecting Antonelli’s adaptation adversely compared to teammate George Russell.
The updated rear suspension drew heavily from the McLaren MCL39, which had proved effective for its own team. While Mercedes hoped this would address persistent issues with rear tire temperatures and traction out of low-speed corners, the unintended result was an unpredictable rear end. Experienced driver George Russell adapted, finding ways to extract pace despite the handling challenges, but Antonelli, still adjusting to the complexities of Formula 1 machinery, found it harder to cope.
Antonelli’s Confidence Hit by Technical Setback
The rookie’s difficulties with the car’s rear end quickly led to a dip in form as the European rounds commenced. After starting the season with promise, Antonelli lost confidence in the car’s behavior, seeing his progress slow markedly through the spring and early summer months before the team reversed the changes.
“
I think I’ve lost a good two or three months of progress,
”
Antonelli admitted, discussing the period that stalled his development, and emphasizing that he struggled to adapt his driving style in response to the technical changes more so than George Russell.
The tough stretch drained Antonelli’s confidence, making it difficult to build momentum—a challenge he tied directly to the rear suspension update.
“
It was a difficult period because I just kept losing confidence, driving super tense and I just really struggled to make any progress. And obviously if I either was able to adapt better or if either I would have gone back earlier to the suspension, probably it would have been a bit different, and I would have been able to build momentum already at the end of the European season or halfway through it.
”
Mercedes Staff Point to Antonelli’s Growth
Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, observed Antonelli’s steady improvement as the season progressed, noting enhancements particularly in one-lap qualifying efforts.
“
We expected long runs to be the hardest, but he was strong there immediately,
”
Shovlin stated, underlining Antonelli’s swift adaptation in race stints, even as his single-lap pace required more intense development. Shovlin highlighted the rookie’s growing understanding of tire management and the nuances required to capitalize on qualifying sessions.
Shovlin explained that Antonelli’s description of car feedback was always advanced for a newcomer, and over the year, his knowledge of how setup tweaks influenced performance deepened noticeably. He recalled events like Budapest, where Antonelli exceeded the limits, but also pointed to improvements later in the year as the rookie channeled these lessons into more measured, consistent performances.
“
These are details drivers with many years of experience have learned the hard way. What’s good with Kimi is that once he learns something, it sticks. He’s not repeating the same mistakes. Overall, we’re very much on track with him.
”
Shovlin emphasized, capturing the team’s optimism about Antonelli’s learning curve as a Mercedes F1 rookie.
Antonelli’s Rookie Year Sets Stage for Future Progress
Despite the obstacles presented by the ill-timed suspension update, Kimi Antonelli’s willingness to learn and his gradual return to form by the end of the season signal a positive foundation for his Formula 1 career. Both the team’s technical staff and Antonelli himself recognize the growth achieved through this adversity. The experience could ultimately sharpen Antonelli’s ability to handle future technical challenges as Mercedes pursues greater competitiveness, and his progress will continue to be watched with interest heading into the next season.
