Oct.26 (GMM) Kimi Antonelli admits he “took it simple” as he returned to the wheel of a Mercedes in Mexico on Friday.
The 18-year-old, who’s Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 successor, rushed onto the throttle in his official follow debut at Monza not too long ago – and crashed.
That was in George Russell’s 2024, however this time in Mexico, Antonelli was driving Hamilton’s F1 single seater.
When requested if he was apprehensive the younger Italian would additionally crash his automobile, seven time world champion Hamilton mentioned on Thursday: “I don’t personally really feel that.
“Kimi is younger, and he’s discovered from that first outing. We did our briefing collectively right here, as a result of he’s working with Bono subsequent 12 months, and I mentioned to him ‘You don’t need to set the world alight on the primary lap’.
“Simply construct into it – take pleasure in. I informed him the observe is basically soiled early on.”
It’s believed Antonelli’s tempo was finally affected by particles harm to the ground, however finally he did 19 laps – and was over a second off Russell’s main tempo within the sister Mercedes.
“I didn’t wish to take any dangers,” he mentioned. “I took it simple.
“We had a program to do with the staff and I didn’t wish to make errors like in Monza,” Antonelli informed Sky Italia. “I felt I had margin, however there was no must push.
“I’m blissful. I gained expertise. That’s what I needed to do.”
