Kimi Antonelli had a successful Formula 1 debut for Mercedes after gaining 12 places and finishing just behind his teammate at the Australian Grand Prix.
It was the perfect way to bounce back from an embarrassing Q1 exit on Saturday, as he struggled to adapt to his Mercedes car.
Since then, Antonelli endured a tricky weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix but did manage to secure another solid haul of points for his team.
Floor damage on lap one of that race hampered his charge and ensured that he wouldn’t be joining teammate George Russell on the podium just yet.
Antonelli finds the Japanese Grand Prix ‘scary’ in Mercedes’ simulator as he prepares for the third round of the season at Suzuka.
Even if there is some fear for the circuit, Antonelli has proven he’s definitely ready for Formula 1 by moving on from the mistakes he has made so far. He hasn’t let anything fluster him.
READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli’s latest Toto Wolff comments highlight how badly Liam Lawson was treated by Red Bull
Kimi Antonelli took ‘unusual’ approach to Mercedes debut by greeting F1 fans
‘Everyone’ at Mercedes is ‘excited’ about Antonelli. The 18-year-old is one of the hottest prospects on the scene since Max Verstappen arrived in 2015.
He sits in an impressive fifth in the drivers’ championship after two races and should get the opportunity to compete for his first Formula 1 victory soon. It feels rather inevitable.
Team boss Toto Wolff has been incredibly supportive of him so far, putting an arm around his shoulder when mistakes have been made.
However, he did something at the Australian Grand Prix which would have earned him the respect of many fans in attendance.
According to the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, Antonelli took the ‘unusual’ measure of lowering his tinted windows (used to conceal the identity of drivers) to wave at spectators who had been queueing for hours.
It shows how calm and collected he is at a very young age. His unphased and relaxed demeanour should assist him when the intensity of his on-track battles ramps up.
READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli told one ‘super important’ thing by his trainer to avoid being fined before his Mercedes F1 debut
The exciting thing Mercedes spotted in Kimi Antonelli’s data at the Chinese Grand Prix
Ferrari’s double disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix helped to elevate Antonelli by two positions after the race from eighth to sixth.
It was a welcome boost for a driver who deserved much more on Sunday than he received. He actually drove quite well.
Mercedes spotted something in Antonelli’s data that his fans will love. They believe he could have been fighting the Ferrari drivers and Max Verstappen without sustaining early damage.
He definitely would have finished ahead of the Haas of Esteban Ocon, who he found himself stuck behind for large parts of the race.
More patience is required before he can get near the standards of Russell, but the early signs are promising for the Germany manufacturer and their new driver.
Leave feedback about this