Kimi Antonelli told what ‘cannot happen again’ after his rookie F1 season with Mercedes

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Kimi Antonelli came within touching distance of beating the man he replaced at Mercedes in 2025, finishing seventh in the standings in his rookie season.

The Italian replaced seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton after he joined Ferrari. Expectations were high for Antonelli, given his impressive junior career and support from Toto Wolff, and he tried not to think about his predecessor.

However, come the end of the season, Antonelli changed his mind about Hamilton as he found himself in a position to beat him in the championship. The former enjoyed a rich run of form towards the end of the season, while the latter was struggling to get out of Q1.

The 18-year-old would ultimately miss out by six points, but it was a respectable season for Antonelli. He achieved his first pole position in the Miami Sprint and scored three podiums, but 2025 was not without its challenges.

Alex Jacques tells Kimi Antonelli he cannot go ‘missing for multiple races’ again in 2026

While Antonelli secured a solid P7, he was outclassed by teammate George Russell. A big reason for this was the Italian’s torrid form in the European leg of the season.

Between his home races at Imola and Monza, he scored points just three times. He grabbed his maiden podium in Canada, but he finished outside the points in the three events before and after the race, before finishing P10 in Hungary and P9 at Monza.

F1 commentator Alex Jacques says this ‘cannot happen again’ for Antonelli, especially when Mercedes could be battling for the championship in 2026 amid rumours about their power unit.

Discussing his season on the official F1 website, Jacques said: “Then came the dip. Mercedes’ struggles with their suspension and failed corrective updates led to an unpredictable car. Antonelli began to overthink and the lap time fell away drastically.

“This was twinned with rookie errors including taking out Verstappen on the first lap in Austria. After the Montreal podium only three points followed in six races. By the time he’d taken out Leclerc in Zandvoort, Antonelli began doubting himself.

“A clear-the-air meeting after Monza between team and driver laid the foundation for fantastic performances in Brazil and Vegas where his 48-lap run on the C3 tyre was incredibly impressive. It is not an exaggeration to say if he’d started near the front he could have won the race.

“The dips can’t last as long if Mercedes are at the very front in 2026. He cannot be expected to be the finished article in year two, but going missing for multiple races cannot happen again.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli’s outstanding maturity shows just how well Mercedes have developed him in 2025

It has been a rocky first year in F1 for Antonelli, to say the least. He has had to overcome many difficulties, including at the end of the season, in the midst of the title battle.

The Mercedes driver found himself at the centre of controversy when he made a mistake at the Qatar GP, with Lando Norris capitalising and finishing fourth. Red Bull accused Antonelli of deliberately letting Norris through, as he gained points on Max Verstappen as a result.

The fallout from the drama saw the Italian black out his social media amid the waves of abuse he received. But Gary Neville was ‘massively impressed’ by Antonelli’s analysis after the race in his debrief with the team.

It highlights just how well the Silver Arrows have nurtured him and worked hard behind the scenes to get him accustomed to the sport. It is no surprise to see his form pick up, with an outstanding P2 in Sao Paulo and P3 in Las Vegas.

Of course, he is far from the finished product, and Antonelli knows he needs more ‘experience’ in 2026. But that will come with time, and he is on the right track.