Kimi tells his story: “When I go home to my room, I feel the need to disconnect from motorsport. I’ll soon be moving out on my own, but I’m a disaster at housework. What have I learned in one season? To listen to myself.”
His eyes are always the same when he talks about his dreams. So is his curly hair that falls over a face that tells the whole story of his nineteen years. “I don’t feel changed, I’ve just grown up,” admits Andrea Kimi Antonelli, bidding farewell to his debut year in Formula 1 with Mercedes. “I’ve learned a lot, and this is just the beginning.” A marathon year, with ups and downs that allowed him “to become a real F1 driver,” under the media spotlight of someone called upon to make his debut in the top series in a top team, inheriting Lewis Hamilton’s seat.
How did this first season go?
“A year of ups and downs. I went through a sea of events, difficulties, and satisfactions, and looking back, I can say that I am happy because I managed to get through tough moments, such as the drop in performance in the middle of the season. It was a lesson that I will carry with me throughout my career because it allowed me to make a mental leap that will be useful in the future.”
What did Kimi not know about Formula 1 a year ago?
“He didn’t know how to trust his instincts. I’ve learned to listen to myself more, even in terms of driving, and to stay focused without thinking only about the final result. Sometimes this year I found myself being driven by frustration and I approached decisive moments with the wrong mindset, thinking more about defense than attack.”
What was the turning point for you to bounce back after the difficult period in the middle of the season?
“Definitely, going back to the old rear suspension helped me a lot, then after Monza I had a meeting with Toto and Bono, my engineer, who told me what was wrong with what I was doing and helped me understand how to do a real mental reset.”
Do you cry in Formula 1?
“I cry. During that difficult period, I cried a lot. I struggled a lot, especially mentally, because I started to doubt myself. You arrive in Formula 1, it’s your lifelong dream, what you’ve worked so hard for, and after a great start to the season, you start to not perform as you would like. It was tough. I also lacked the composure and clarity that more mature drivers have in dealing with difficult moments.“
There were also many satisfactions. The most significant?
”There were many beautiful moments. The first weekend in Melbourne was special: on the grid before the start, I realized that my dream was coming true. Then there was my first pole position in Miami in the Sprint, my first podium in Canada, but also Brazil with second place, and I would add Las Vegas because that’s where I felt for the first time that I was able to tackle a race by following only my instincts, almost as if everything else didn’t exist.”
How do you sleep the night before a Grand Prix?
“Sometimes the adrenaline means you sleep very little: in Brazil, for example, starting from the front row, I tossed and turned in bed for hours before falling asleep. Then there are times when I’m so angry about how things went in qualifying that I can’t wait to go to sleep so I don’t have to think about it.”
When you go home to your bedroom in Bologna, do you feel like the same guy you were a year ago?
“Partly, yes. At the end of the day, I’m only 19, and my bedroom at home with my family is where my dreams were born. I still need peace and quiet, to feel close to my mom, my dad, and my little sister. Then when I’m at home, I like to hang out with my friends, talk about normal things, take a break from motorsport, sleep and eat away from hotels. I may be a Formula 1 driver, but I’m still a guy my age.“
How do you manage with household chores?
”A disaster. I have to learn because I’ll soon be living on my own, but I don’t know how to do laundry, clean, cook… I hope my mom will still come and help me because I’m not at all practical as a ‘man of the house’. People say I’m very mature for my age, but when it comes to these things, I have everything to learn.”
What role did your father, whom we often saw by your side, play this year?
“I grew up with him as a driver, so it was essential to have him with me in F1 too. Next year he won’t be there, because I’ve already gained experience, but knowing that I can count on him, as well as my mom, my sister, and my girlfriend, is very important.”
Has your relationship with Toto Wolff changed?
“Toto has known me since I was a child, and we have a special bond that has grown stronger this year. He has been able to push me and also be tough on me when I needed it. He’s the best at what he does, I’m sure of that.“
And with your teammate George Russell?
”We have a good relationship based on healthy competition. Obviously, it has changed over the course of the year because you always want to beat your teammate, but healthy competition is always a good thing in a team.”
What are your thoughts on 2026?
“There is a lot of uncertainty: we know where we are as a team, but we can’t know where our opponents are. I’m spending a lot of time at the factory in England, in the wind tunnel and on the simulator, to see how the car is progressing. It’s great to be part of this period of evolution and creation of the new project, I’m very excited and can’t wait to find out where we stand compared to our opponents.”
Given that we will be starting from scratch with the new regulations, do you think this could be an important opportunity for you young drivers?
“I think so. Ground effect cars are not easy to drive, especially at the beginning: it’s difficult to get the most out of them, they are physically demanding, very complex… so changing to something very different, as will be the case with the new regulations, will be great because it will require everyone to be adaptable, work hard, and be flexible.“
Verstappen called you a talent. How does that make you feel?
”It’s a great honor. We’ve built a great relationship with him this year and he’s been a guide for all of us rookies. I consider him an extraordinary driver and receiving these compliments from him is special for me. The best thing is that we can talk about many things we like besides Formula 1, for example GT racing, which is a passion we both share.”
Among the greats he can call friends is Valentino Rossi. Did he give you any useful advice?
“He told me to do my best and always be myself. The best thing, though, is being able to spend time with him: we went to Misano together to watch MotoGP, and I want to ask him to swap helmets with me at the end of the year. That would be really cool for me. We’ve also driven karts together in the past with the VR46 guys, and I’ll try to organize another day because we have so much fun together.“
Is there also a day on the track planned with Sinner?
”We’ll organize it! It would be great to go both with karts and GTs because he’s a big fan and they say he’s also pretty fast.”
What amazes you about him?
“His mental strength and composure in difficult moments of the game. He manages to turn situations around on the field by finding a deadly strength within himself. It’s something every athlete would like to have.”
You are two young Italians who are bringing great excitement to our country. What does that mean to you?
“It’s incredible, it’s a great honor. But for me, I want this to be just the beginning, I still have a lot to prove.”
As an Italian, do you dream of driving a Ferrari one day?
“For me, Mercedes is everything: they believed in me and helped me grow. I want to win with them.“
It’s been a long and intense season. Is there time for a little vacation now?
”Yes, but I’ll be staying at home. We’ll be starting preparations for 2026 very soon, so it will be important to recharge my batteries, eat some good Italian food, and clear my head for a while.”
What gift would you like to find under the Christmas tree?
“To have a car that allows us to battle at the front. To win races and maybe, who knows, even fight for the World Championship. The team is pushing hard to give us the best car and it will be up to me to try to do the rest.”
