Antonelli opens up on 2025 struggles after Mercedes promotion

Kimi Antonelli has reflected on the pressure he felt during his rookie Formula 1 season with Mercedes in 2025, admitting he let the pressure “destroy” him during a difficult mid-season spell before resetting and finishing strongly.

The 19-year-old Italian was promoted to Mercedes for 2025 following Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari. Antonelli had bypassed F3 entirely after a rapid rise through the ranks, going straight from karting to F2.

After a promising start to his debut campaign, Antonelli hit a tougher period during the European leg of the season. Speaking on SAP’s Significant Figures podcast, he said the slump left him feeling he was letting down those who had backed him.

“I think mostly last year I felt this, because obviously I’ve had a good start of the season, then I’ve had a difficult period, the European season, where I really struggle,” Antonelli said.

“And in that moment I felt… I let the pressure kind of destroy me as well during that period, because I felt like I was letting down so many people who had believed in me – especially Toto [Wolff], because he was the main one who took the decision.”

Antonelli added: “I didn’t feel good in that period – I wasn’t doing well, but then I had a big meeting with the team after the European season, and it kind of allowed me to reset and just start again. I slowly found my way back, and then I had a good second half of the season.”

The reset gave him confidence heading into 2026, he said.

“That gave me the confidence, being able to overcome those difficult moments, and gave me the confidence I have this year. It also made me learn a lot about myself, not only as a driver but as a person as well.”

Learning how to manage body and mind

Asked what he learned from the low point, Antonelli was candid.

“In that European season, most of the things I’ve done didn’t help me at all!” he said. “But also I’ve learned about how my body responds to those moments, how my brain responds, what helps myself get back into the right focus, the right mindset.... What helps me to stay 100% in terms of energy during the whole weekend, so how to manage myself with events, obviously the driving and everything.”

“So I learned a lot about myself, and how as well to respond to difficult moments.”

‘It felt like doing three years at once’

Antonelli also reflected on the sheer scale of the learning curve in his rookie year.

“I feel like obviously the team did an incredible job on trying to protect me, but the learning curve… I think I’ve learned much more than if I would have gone in a smaller team,” he said.

“I felt the learning curve was incredible – it felt like doing three years at once, and it was overwhelming, physically, mentally, because I’ve had so many new experiences as well.”

Antonelli has since carried the lessons into his sophomore campaign, sitting at the top of the Drivers’ standings since Round 3 in Japan.