Kimi Antonelli has shared an insight into how he was affected by the struggles he experienced during his 2025 rookie season, with the Italian feeling that he let the pressure “destroy” him – whilst also admitting the experience made him “learn a lot” about himself.
Following the news that Lewis Hamilton would depart Mercedes for Ferrari, the Silver Arrows opted to promote Antonelli to the squad, the youngster having enjoyed a rapid climb through the ranks that saw him bypass F3 and go straight to F2.
After a good start to his debut season, Antonelli then faced a tougher spell during the European leg of the campaign – a period in which he has conceded that he felt he was letting down those who had believed in him.
Asked during an appearance on SAP’s Significant Figures podcast if he felt pressure when he arrived into F1, the 19-year-old explained: “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.
“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.
“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.
“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.”
Pushed on what those learnings were, Antonelli responded: “In that European season, most of the things I’ve done didn’t help me at all!
“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.”
Antonelli went on to reflect on just how much he had to learn during 2025, leaving him feeling “drained” at the end of the 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 gone from strength to strength during his sophomore campaign, having sat at the top of the Drivers’ standings since Round 3 in Japan.
