Kimi Antonelli is the gift that keeps on giving, and every race seems to have a story attached to it as his Formula 1 rookie season with Mercedes continues to unfold.
As I’ve said before he’s brutally honest about any mistakes or any perceived underachievement, which is very refreshing, and helps to give context to his progress.
The Miami weekend saw two extremes for the Italian. This was a track he knew only from the Brackley sim, and yet after just a single FP1 session he outpaced team mate George Russell in sprint qualifying to become F1’s youngest ever pole winner.
Given how hard it is for everyone to get tyre preparation bang on these days, it was no small feat.
In the sprint itself he showed he still has a lot of learning to do when he ran wide on the wet first lap and dropped to fourth.
His race was then ruined when he pitted for slicks and Max Verstappen was released into his path. His quick reaction, carrying on through the pits rather than attempting to stop and potentially putting crew members at risk, showed what an instinctive racer he is.
In the main qualifying session later that afternoon he again outpaced Russell to secure third.
On the first lap of the Grand Prix he got ahead of Lando Norris to claim second. Inevitably he was passed by both McLaren drivers, and then he found himself with Russell – who started on the theoretically slower hard tyre – right behind him, and keen to get by.
Following his stop ultimately Antonelli slipped back after struggling on the hards, with both Russell and Alex Albon getting ahead.
Second on the first lap to sixth at the flag was not really the sort of progression he wanted.
“I need to check,” he said when I asked if there were lessons to be learned. “The race pace today was just not good, especially on the hard, I really struggled to make the tyre work during the stint, and I was just sliding a lot around and couldn’t really find lap time. So definitely need to analyse what went wrong in order to be better for Imola.”
Was it the most difficult situation he’d faced to date in terms of tyre management?
“I think it was quite unique, this race, because it was the first time that I really struggled to make the tyre work. But still, a lot to take away into the next weekend.”
Nevertheless from the outside at least it looked like a weekend of decent progress, although his focus was on what he didn’t optimise.
“I think in some ways, yes, in others not really,” he said. “But I think in terms of qualifying pace, it was a strong weekend, and definitely looking forward to the next one.
“I think it’s a lot about experience and getting confidence with the car and being able to push it more and more.
“And I think I felt pretty good from FP1 on that side. And so it was nice. It was a nice feeling also being able to put the lap more together. So yeah, that was really positive.”
For Mercedes boss Toto Wolff it was definitely a weekend of two halves, but he chose to see the glass half full.
“I think the high point definitely is seeing his speed on a single lap,” said the Austrian. “Great. That’s another proof of his talent, and a good indication to how the future can be.
“And then in the race, challenging, because it’s so difficult here to find the right reference. You can say was the medium stint quick enough, with George holding on in the back on the hard tyre? That was not good.
“And then when he went into the hard, he just lacks experience managing it the right way. And then finding the right references. And Bono really tried to guide him, but when you’re in that car, it’s not easy, and I think it’s just part of the learning curve.
“There’s nothing that is disappointing or not. Overall I go away with the feeling that he’s done a good job.”
To be fair to Antonelli Russell may have finished ahead, but he too struggled with tyre management, and not for the first time in 2025.
“We have a really fast car, I believe, on a single lap or on a few laps, absolutely where it can be,” said Wolff. “But we’re just not good on with the tyres over an extended run. And McLaren shows how it’s being done to a degree. I think that Red Bull with Max, they’re managing it better, also tricky performances and I would say we’re solid in what we’re doing.
“But they are definitely doing an excellent job by being able to go fast around the corners without overheating them. So this is what we need to look up to, and engineer our way out of that of the topic.”
Antonelli has faced a few unfamiliar tracks in recent weeks, and now he heads to three in a row that he knows from last year’s F2 campaign.
He’s also sampled both Imola and Barcelona in F1 TPC running with an older car, and that gives him a head start.
“Definitely,” he said. “I mean, first of all, Imola is a track that I’ve driven in all the categories. And Barcelona as well. So I know the track well this time. So definitely it can help for the weekend. But it’s not that because I know it that it’s going to be easy. It’s going to be important to be on top of the game.”
What we don’t know yet is what sort of reception he’ll get in front of his home crowd. Over the years Italy has had race winners in Riccardo Patrese, Michele Alboreto, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jarno Trulli. However the received wisdom is that Antonelli is the one, the guy who can eventually be his country’s first World Champion since 1953.
“Well, for sure, first home race, and definitely it’s going to be a special one,” he says. “So I’m going try to make the best out of it as well.
“It’s going to feel weird that I’m going to be sleeping at home. And apparently it’s also the last year for Imola. So I really want to make the best out of it, because it’s going to be special.
“I always try to for myself to keep expectations low. Of course I go on track and try to do my best. Qualifying was really special this weekend, and it would be good to repeat myself in Imola as well.”
Adam Cooper F1 