F1 | Mercedes, Antonelli: "The 2026 Kimi is better prepared."
"The car is pleasant to drive, I don't think the gaps will be as big as people think," commented the Italian driver.
As stated by the driver himself, it's a different Andrea Kimi Antonelli who is preparing to take to the track for his second season as an official Formula 1 driver. The young driver from Bologna, after last year's debut marked by the ups and downs that are part of a normal development path, feels more prepared to begin a new championship with Mercedes, characterized by regulatory changes.
In his debut season among the top drivers, Antonelli finished seventh, scoring 150 points. His best result was second place in the Interlagos race, adding to his other two podium finishes in Montreal and Austin.
"I took advantage of the break to reflect on the past season," Antonelli said in a recent interview with the official Mercedes website. "I had a few sessions with my psychologist. We analyzed the past and understood what went well and what went wrong in 2025, and this helped me set some goals for this year. The 2026 Kimi is better prepared."
Antonelli, continuing his remarks, added: "Looking at the calendar, we'll try to make the most of the days at home to recharge and avoid extra travel," he said. "We want to make sure I'm always at 100% energy to maximize my performance in the car. A lot of this will come from the cardiovascular side; we're happy with our strength, but now we want to start working on cardio; it will be really useful in the hottest races."
The Bologna-born driver then discussed the new car: "The car is fun to drive. We still have a lot to do and learn, but it was great to see it on track. All the cars are really nice and fast. I don't think the gaps on the grid will be as big as people think; there will be some close battles. It will take time for everyone to understand, especially regarding battery management, but once the season starts, it will be very exciting."
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