Scoring points, leading a Grand Prix, and claiming pole position (albeit during sprint qualifying)—Andrea Kimi Antonelli has accomplished a lot in his short stay so far in F1. While Mercedes were confident about the Italian’s talent and potential to deliver at a high level, they also thought Antonelli may take time to settle in.
However, the 18-year-old has managed to hit the ground running and move from strength to strength. Even his intra-team dynamic with his engineers and his teammate George Russell has been quite good.
Russell thought that Antonelli may feel a bit overwhelmed at the pinnacle of motorsport, but he was happy to be wrong on that front. Having been with a veteran teammate like Lewis Hamilton, it is definitely a change of pace for him as well, to be the senior pro in the team. But the #63 driver is also helping Antonelli as much as he can.
Recently, the Mercedes duo sat down for a Q&A session for Mercedes’ YouTube channel, wherein Antonelli asked him how he feels their first season as teammates has gone so far. On this, Russell praised the 18-year-old for assimilating well within the Brackley outfit.
“I have enjoyed seeing like how you’ve been with the team because it’s like it’s not easy to come in like for you being so young”, the 27-year-old explained. Amid this conversation, Russell also recalled a fun moment that indicates how Antonelli has already become a close member of the team, in his relatively novice days.
“Seeing like you throwing cake in Bono’s face was probably one of the highlights. I don’t think, did Lewis ever do that? I don’t think Lewis would’ve ever done that,” the 27-year-old said.
Russell was talking about how Antonelli surprised his engineer, Peter Bonnington on his birthday in February earlier this year by throwing a cake on his face. The Italian prodigy has often shown this mischievous side of himself, which naturally helps him gel well with new people he meets.
Happy birthday, Bono
Wouldn’t be a birthday without the Prema traditions pic.twitter.com/2hDCneZAV2
— Mercedes Hub (@MercedesF1_Hub) February 14, 2025
Fortunately for him, Bonnington, or as Hamilton called him, Bono, is also an interesting individual and likes to have some banter and pranks. So, their camaraderie on and off the track is developing nicely.
When Antonelli got sprint pole in Miami last weekend, Bono was ecstatic on the radio, and the happiness was quite evident in his voice. Perhaps these light-hearted moments at his birthday celebration have helped them build a closer bond off the track, which naturally helps any driver-engineer duo to work smoothly on the track.
As for Russell, too, Antonelli has been constantly learning from the three-time Grand Prix winner, besides keeping a cordial relationship when they get out of the car. With Mercedes still in P2 in the Constructors’ standings, they have a solid foundation with these two competitive drivers, who can deliver top-notch results if given a quick car.
So, even if the Silver Arrows are currently way behind McLaren’s pace benchmark, a string of a few good upgrades can help Russell and Antonelli score consistent podiums and even win races to keep their hopes alive in the title battle.
