Antonelli Focuses on Confidence, Consistency in Rookie Mercedes Campaign

Kimi Antonelli believes confidence in the car is the main difference between himself and teammate George Russell as he continues to adapt during his rookie season with Mercedes. The 18-year-old has shown promise, scoring points in all three races and the first Sprint of 2025.

Reflecting ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Antonelli said, “So far, I think things went pretty well. I’m happy with the consistency I’ve shown and how I’m improving weekend by weekend.” He highlighted tyre management as a key learning area, noting progress with qualifying performance and tyre warm-up, particularly at Suzuka. With Bahrain featuring the same tyre compounds, Antonelli sees another opportunity to build on his progress. “Every weekend is a massive learning curve,” he said, adding that he’s growing more comfortable with the car and aiming for continued improvements throughout the season.