Does Kimi Antonelli already have the maturity of a champion?
How can you tell if a young driver has the hallmarks of a champion or not? It is difficult to give a single answer, but it is certain that if you find reasons for disappointment even on the day of a resounding and historic victory, you might be giving clues of having that something extra to become even greater in the future. This is the case for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who during an interview given to Mara Sangiorgio for Sky admitted to not having fully enjoyed the triumph at Suzuka and, indeed, to being decidedly angry with himself after the checkered flag of the last Japanese GP which gave him the first World Championship lead of his career, also leading him to break a long-standing record.
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The admission after the mistake at the start of the Japanese GP
“Yes, I have to say – explains Kimi Antonelli – that I didn’t enjoy Sunday’s victory in Japan as much as I would have liked, because I was quite pissed off about the mistake at the start. I was absolutely aware that I had a fair bit of luck despite that mistake and so I was very angry. The start was a shock for me, I almost felt like pulling my hair out. But I’m already working on it… to improve starts, the simulator definitely helps, and I’ll also have the steering wheel with all my settings. Let’s say I’m already thinking about how I can improve these standing starts on the grid”.
The challenge with George Russell
Speaking with the German magazine Bild, the 19-year-old Italian then spoke about his rapid rise to the top of F1: “It’s crazy to see how much interest there is in me. The day after the victory I bought the newspapers, read them and I will keep them, because obviously it pleases you and makes you feel good. But it’s also dangerous… It’s easy to lose focus and get carried away when everyone is praising you. But I also noticed that the expectations of me have changed drastically. That’s why I no longer use social media on race weekends, to avoid feeling further pressure. Because the truth is that there are still 19 races to go. I want to achieve more than just one victory, my ultimate goal is to be in contention for the title at the end of the season and then win it”.
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The biggest threat, then, is the friendly fire from teammate George Russell: “Experience is my biggest weakness compared to drivers like George, without a doubt. You can’t buy that. But I’m confident that I would still have a chance if the opportunity arose. I’ve worked on it for many years and my victory showed that I can beat anyone if I can express my potential. But to do that, I have to get the basics right”, concluded Kimi Antonelli.
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