Kimi Antonelli had the opportunity to give a preview of what to expect from him in 2025 when he drove the W15 during FP1 at Monza. Unfortunately, he crashed at the Parabolica section, which attracted a lot of negative attention. However, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur defended the Italian driver.
Antonelli, who was pushing hard, rode the kerb a bit too long, leading to a loss of control on just his second flying lap. He spun out and suffered a big impact.
Although his team showed support almost instantly, the 18-year-old faced criticism online, likely due to the hype surrounding his talent.
Vasseur, however, spoke about the pressure Antonelli must have been under. “Debuting here and going out on the track with the softs maybe didn’t do him any good,” said Vasseur after practice on Friday. “But you shouldn’t conclude just one session.”
Vasseur: “I’ve already read a lot of comments after two laps in which he was leading and they painted him as a star. It’s not easy to start in F1. He’s doing a lot of laps in the simulator, but the pressure in F1 is different.”
3/3
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) August 30, 2024
Vasseuer noticed the comments made about Antonelli after the session and insisted that judging a young driver based on just two laps was unfair. “It’s not easy to start in F1. He’s doing a lot of laps in the simulator. But the pressure in F1 is different.”
Antonelli also wasn’t the only driver to face problems at Monza. The track was resurfaced in certain areas, including the Parabolica, causing even Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc to lose the rear end of their respective SF-24s. However, years of experience presumably allowed them to avoid crashing
Former Mercedes boss: “The pace is there”
Despite the negativity surrounding his FP1 crash, most people in the F1 paddock spoke highly of Antonelli. Former Mercedes Director of Motorsport Strategy, now Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles, praised Antonelli on F1TV after Friday’s practice sessions.
“The first lap he put out there was faster than anyone else, and not by a small margin,” the Briton stated. “The second lap, if he completed it, would’ve been a heck of a lot faster. He pushed too hard too soon. But the pace is there.”
All good, Kimi. You’ll learn from today
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) August 30, 2024
Immediately after his shunt, Antonelli apologized over the team radio, to which Toto Wolff responded, ‘All okay.’ His FP1 run was short, but even in those one-and-a-half laps, the Italian youngster gave glimpses of his talent behind the wheel.
Mercedes’ announcement of Antonelli’s 2025 arrival is unlikely to be affected by his crash at Monza. However, when they make things official, remains to be seen.
