Antonelli Eyes Victory in Australia, Stays Grounded

Kimi Antonelli heads to Australia aiming for victory, but the Mercedes F1 driver balances ambition with a realistic approach.

Kimi Antonelli doesn’t lack ambition! His goal is to aim high, and while waiting to assess the performance of his Mercedes W16 and his own abilities against George Russell, he will try to win in Australia—nothing less.

The Italian stated that he “does not feel like Lewis’s replacement” as he prepares to succeed the seven-time world champion.

Antonelli is only the sixth Mercedes driver to race for the team since its official F1 return in 2010, following Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and his new teammate George Russell.

“First of all, we’ll see during the first race how I feel, also in terms of speed and how I adapt, but of course, it’s an exciting seat,” Antonelli said when asked about his expectations for his F1 debut.

“But I don’t feel like Lewis’s replacement; I just feel like the new Mercedes F1 driver. It’s a big responsibility because I’m driving for Mercedes, it’s a great opportunity, and I’ll try to make the most of it.”

“My mindset will be to go to Australia and try to win—you should always aim high! But at the same time, you have to be realistic.”

“I’m racing against the other 19 best drivers in the world, so it won’t be easy, but I’m focusing on the job I have to do, trying to do it as well as possible, learning as much as I can, and seeing where we stand.”

“Right now, I’m simply focusing on the day-to-day, on the preparation I need to do with the team and my race engineer, Peter Bonnington.”

“Everything is going well, and I’m really looking forward to the first race.”

Antonelli also spoke about the role Lewis Hamilton played last year in preparing him for his first F1 season.

“He’s been really kind to me. You know, he simply told me to enjoy it and, of course, do my best and not worry about the rest.”

“Apparently, he also wrote a nice message in the Mercedes truck, in the drivers’ room.”

“So, I’m really looking forward to reading it. It was extremely thoughtful of him. And honestly, I still can’t believe I’ll be sharing the grid with him next year.”

“He’s such a major figure in the sport. He’s achieved so much. So, I’m really grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given.”