Antonelli reveals Mercedes reaction after Monza F1 crash

Kimi Antonelli has detailed how the Mercedes F1 squad reacted to his costly crash at Monza earlier this year.

Antonelli was handed his first FP1 outing at his home event in Italy, one day before he was confirmed as a full-time Mercedes driver for 2025.

However, his session lasted just 10 minutes as a spin at the final corner saw him hit the barrier.

Antonelli had another outing in Mexico City last month as he continues his preparations to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year.

The 18-year-old has outlined the support he received from the team following his spin into the wall at Monza.

“Monza was emotional, it was one of my two home races,” Antonelli said.

“There was so much hype around the whole weekend and I guess you could say I learned a lesson the hard way with what happened in FP1.

“I enjoyed the couple of laps I did, especially in front of the home crowd. It is a memory I will have for a long time.

“Mentally it will help me to come back stronger, too. The team helped me so much.

“They taught me how to face that moment and get through it without worrying too much.”

Antonelli was 'more prepared' for Mexico

Antonelli has rocketed up the racing ladder en route to F1 and is currently contesting his maiden Formula 2 season.

Having enjoyed a smoother outing in Mexico, Antonelli attributed it to not having to focus on F2 at the same weekend.

“When I did my second session in Mexico last month, I had more time to prepare, because it was not an F2 weekend,” he said.

“It was a much cleaner session and was definitely what was needed after Monza. I didn’t want to take any risks, and I learned a lot.

“That’s what the past few weeks have been about: Learning. You will have seen me in the F1 paddock a lot more, as I get used to being trackside, building my relationship with team members and experience how weekends will work next year. 

“The team and I just want to make sure I don’t have any surprises!”