Kimi Antonelli sets fresh target after stern F1 'criticism'

Kimi Antonelli has outlined his goal to ensure his positive Azerbaijan Grand Prix performance was not a one-off. The Mercedes driver entered the Baku weekend under pressure after enduring a nightmare European leg of the campaign. Antonelli was frequently a non-scorer during the European rounds, which led to heavy scrutiny over his performance during his rookie season. After a disappointing Italian Grand Prix earlier this month, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff labelled the outing as “underwhelming”. Antonelli bounced back with a strong showing in Baku, crossing the line in fourth place. The 19-year-old voiced satisfaction with enjoying an error-free outing around the challenging Azerbaijan track. Reflecting on his difficult period, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365, Antonelli said: “It was not even a discussion, it was pretty poor. “This track is quite a bit more difficult. There was no margin for error, and it was very intense. “The pace was very high, and driving-wise, I did make a couple of mistakes. But it's also fair to say it was the first time in Baku with an F1 [car].  “Also, we didn't do any long run in practice, so it was a bit of a discovery - of course, for everyone [else] as well.  “Still, I feel much better than the race at Monza.” Antonelli has not yet been confirmed at Mercedes next year, nor has team-mate George Russell - however, it is widely expected that both drivers will remain at the Brackley-based squad. As he seeks to change the tone of his rookie campaign, Antonelli has tasked himself with finding a consistent run of strong pace until the end of the year. “It was a difficult period, the European season,” he said. “After all the criticism and difficult moments, we managed to achieve a good result. And now the important thing is to do this consistently."