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Antonelli admits Belgian GP was his lowest point in difficult first F1 season

Originally posted on HITC | By Ashley Hambly | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 3:54 AM ET

Kimi Antonelli’s first season in Formula 1 has been anything but smooth, and he’s spoken openly about what he describes as the lowest point of his rookie campaign alongside George Russell at Mercedes.

The 19-year-old appears to be settling in now, with recent performances suggesting he’s found his feet in the sport.

Earlier in the season, there were questions about whether he’d hold on to his seat after the European stretch.

But back-to-back top-five finishes in Azerbaijan and Singapore—two of the most demanding tracks on the calendar—have helped restore his confidence heading into the final part of the year.

Compared to other rookies, Antonelli may have had one of the toughest teammate matchups. Russell has underlined his championship credentials this year.

He’s currently fourth in the standings and is one of only a few drivers outside McLaren’s pair and Max Verstappen to have won a race this year.

Speaking to ESPN ahead of Austin, Antonelli reflected on what stands out as his toughest moment so far.

Kimi Antonelli reflects on Belgian Grand Prix as the ‘darkest moment’ of his F1 rookie year

After previously touching upon the difficulties during the current campaign, Antonelli was asked how he coped with some of the mishaps that occurred during the races in Europe, namely Belgium and Hungary.

The 19-year-old replied: “Yeah, for sure. It’s been difficult because in the European season, we got a few mechanical issues.”

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“But then I started to do some mistakes, and then it was kind of a snowball effect, also with the new rear suspension.”

“I struggled a lot more than George. And I was just struggling to find my rhythm, to find confidence in the car. I think Belgium was my darkest moment, where I just had no confidence.”

“I was super tense in the car, and I just wasn’t even enjoying it because I had so many doubts and thoughts in my head while driving that I wasn’t able to enjoy and to drive up to my potential.”

“So it’s been difficult, but what I try to do is always keep believing and trying to find a way to get out of the difficult moments. Now we’re doing so, and I’m very happy.”

Kimi Antonelli admits to confidence issues drring midseason struggles

Antonelli’s frustration was clear in Belgium, where he spoke to the media after a tough weekend. He had just qualified 18th for the Grand Prix and had finished 17th in both the Sprint race and Sprint Shootout.

After making up only two spots in Sunday’s race, he admitted that his confidence was low—a comment that surprised Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff.

Looking at his run of form heading into Spa-Francorchamps, it was understandable. Since taking his first podium in Canada three races earlier, he hadn’t finished either Austria or Great Britain, making Belgium another setback in a tough stretch.

Following Antonelli’s top-five finish in Baku, Mercedes made some adjustments to their approach with him. Chief James Vowles highlighted these changes, which have since helped him settle back into a better routine on race weekends.

Now that Antonelli appears more settled again, there’s hope he can handle the pressures that come with life in Formula 1.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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