From Shanghai
The Mameli anthem resounds in Shanghai, more than a year after Ferrari’s last victory and a good twenty since that of an Italian driver. Andrea Kimi Antonelli gives Italy a historically sporting day, comparable to the recent success over England in rugby. The first joy for the Bolognese driver comes at the end of a weekend of ups and downs, a metaphor for his short career in which he has always demonstrated the strength to get back up and learn from his mistakes.
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Antonelli’s weekend
Kimi’s weekend had begun with a chat with the Italian press present in Shanghai, to whom he had presented himself with his left hand bandaged. Nothing that could limit his driving, but nonetheless a legacy of the accident in the Melbourne free practice, almost as if to remind him of the mistake made. If there is one thing Antonelli has demonstrated in this start to the season, however, is the ability not to let himself be brought down by his own mistakes, seen in full in the front row conquered in Australia just a few hours after the crash in FP3 and without the optimal setup.
The same quality emerged on Saturday in China, after a Sprint in which the Italian got the starting procedure wrong and received a penalty for contact with Hadjar. A little later, however, in qualifying Kimi was able to capitalize on the technical problem that occurred to Russell, taking his first career pole position, the youngest in the history of Formula 1 to do so. Starting in front of everyone for the first time could have proven to be too much pressure for a boy not even twenty years old, but not for Antonelli. Less than an hour before the start, the Italian showed up at the pits calm and smiling, greeting everyone present and sharing a hug with his father Marco, visibly more agitated than his son.
A historic success
When the lights went out, this time the Mercedes driver managed the start perfectly, closing the door on Russell and avoiding being destabilized by the temporary lead of the Ferraris. Once he regained the lead of the race, Kimi managed his tires very well even in the long stint after the Safety Car, keeping enough to match his teammate’s times once he had returned to second position. Of course, Russell’s tires were tested by the fight with Leclerc and Hamilton, but Antonelli confirmed the kind words spoken by those who, reading his telemetry data, praise his sensitivity in tire management.
Kimi thus brings home what will remain an unforgettable victory. Hours later and with the sun already set, the Italian still struggles to contain his emotion when commenting on the day together with the Italian press. It is a success that will increase the attention towards him, in Italy and beyond, which the Bolognese driver will have to be skilled at managing. In his eyes, however, today there is no room for worry, but only for emotion and the awareness of having accomplished something historic.
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The speed is there
Kimi’s success is also a personal revenge for Toto Wolff, among those who most believed in Antonelli’s potential, even when the inevitable errors of inexperience encouraged criticism from skeptics. The number one of Mercedes, however, never doubted the qualities of his protégé: “A driver can learn a lot. If you drive for many laps in any category, in go-karts or formulas, you will reach a certain level. What you cannot learn, however, is pure speed and you see that immediately in every category”.
“You can win a Grand Prix even without having it and maybe even fight for a world title, if you have a good car and luck on your side. However, to become a great champion, that [speed] is necessary, even if not sufficient”. As Antonelli learned at his own expense, being fast in Formula 1 is not enough. You need to put everything together, manage the pressure, interact with the team, listen to yourself to understand what you want from the car and communicate it to the team. Equally important is knowing how to dose your energy, especially for someone like Kimi, whose kindness often makes it difficult for him to say no to those who abuse his availability.
Feet on the ground
Toto Wolff, however, does not fail to issue a warning to the Italian journalists present in Shanghai. Be careful not to overdo the celebrations for Kimi, which could backfire on him when, inevitably, he makes other mistakes in the future. Antonelli, however, is a boy who has grown a lot compared to the one who less than two years ago raced in Formula 2 and who responded to rumors of his promotion to Mercedes by saying he did not yet feel ready for Formula 1. It is not known where the Italian can now go at the wheel of the W17, a car that in some parts of the race in China gave a second per lap to the Ferraris, the first of the pursuers. In any case, there will be time to think about the future, as well as to realize the importance of what was experienced in Shanghai.
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