Kimi Antonelli’s dad warns he’ll be ‘the worst driver in the world’ if he makes a single mistake

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Kimi Antonelli’s father has warned him just how quickly the narrative can change after his spectacular run of form.

Antonelli Sr is trying to keep his son’s feet on the ground after he stormed into a 43-point championship lead over teammate George Russell. Marco feels it’s still too early for Kimi to dominate F1.

At the start of his second season, Antonelli has become the first driver ever to win his first four races in succession. Well in control of the title race at this stage, he could become F1’s only teenage champion.

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Kimi Antonelli warned: ‘One mistake and you’re down’

Speaking to F1-Insider, Marco warned that Kimi would be treated like the ‘worst driver in the world’ if he makes a high-profile error.

He acknowledges that there’s only so much he can do to keep Antonelli ‘grounded’ and is also wary that Mercedes may not remain dominant despite winning the first five races.

In a sense, it may benefit Russell if Mercedes’ rivals gain ground. They could potentially take points off Antonelli by getting between the two drivers, although this naturally goes both ways.

“A job like winning the lottery, it’s crazy,” Antonelli Sr said. “It’s obviously a great moment – ​​but also dangerous. Because now we’re at the very top. But one mistake and you’re down.

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“Of course, we talk about it a lot, but in the end, every race is its own story. We have to work hard and take it step by step. He has to keep his feet on the ground. Because, as I said: one moment you’re the star and the next you’re the worst driver in the world.

“We are trying everything we can right now to help him cope. But then it’s also simply up to him to stay grounded and understand that it’s very difficult.

“We are still at the beginning of the world championship and the season is very long. Again, it is by no means certain that we will be in this position all year round. We have to take it one step at a time and get the maximum out of every race. Then we will see.”

• READ MORE: Nico Rosberg suspects Kimi Antonelli was ‘very close’ to losing his Mercedes seat last season

Antonelli’s rookie season was a dramatic demonstration of how momentum can swing. He started out with five top-six finishes in six races, but he only scored points twice in the next 10.

Amid speculation that Antonelli’s seat was at risk, he finished the year strongly with podiums in Brazil and Las Vegas. He has clearly taken a leap as an F1 sophomore, but almost every driver encounters a blip at some stage of the season, and his title hopes could hinge on how well he handles it.

Jacques Villeneuve feels Antonelli has been ‘lucky’ to get away with his aggressive driving style so far this year. If that’s the case, then his good fortune won’t last forever.