What makes Antonelli so fast?
In the world of motorsport, there's one name that has rapidly become synonymous with raw speed: Antonelli.
Despite his relatively short career, Antonelli's blistering pace has been the hallmark of his progression through various racing formats, from go-karting to Formula 4, and the significant leap directly into Formula 2, bypassing Formula 3 entirely.
His ability to adapt to different vehicles and deliver lap times that exceed the expectations of his engineers is truly remarkable. As soon as Antonelli gets behind the wheel, he seemingly discovers the car's limits and pushes beyond them. While refining this raw speed into a consistent race-winning package may take time, the initial pace is always there. But where does this speed originate?
"I think it's because I drive a lot by feeling and by instinct," Antonelli shared. "Every time I jump in a car for a new track, the main thing I try to do is go as fast as possible straight away. Especially when I'm feeling comfortable with the car, I feel like I have a lot of confidence to really push the car, and it's something that I had from a very young age—to go straight away and be on it from the very beginning."
The step up to Formula 1 will undoubtedly be his biggest challenge yet and comes with the added pressure of racing for Mercedes on the sport's grandest stage. To prepare Antonelli, Mercedes has arranged a series of private F1 tests at various circuits this season, designed to run concurrently with his F2 campaign.
Using a two-year-old car to meet F1's testing restrictions, sources within Mercedes reveal that his lap times in these tests have exceeded all expectations. These sessions were crucial in affirming team principal Toto Wolff's belief that Antonelli is ready for F1.
For Antonelli, the journey is far from complete.
"I have to say I felt very comfortable in F1 from the very beginning, because the car gives you a lot of confidence," he remarked. "It's not easy to reach the limit because the car can allow you so much and give you so much that you keep asking and she keeps delivering.
"Of course, it's hard to arrive at that point where you just keep asking and the car doesn't return any more. It gives you a lot of confidence to start with, but to reach the absolute limit is not easy at all. It's something I am still working on, because I am still in a phase where it is still giving me a lot in testing and I am working to arrive at that edge without going over it."
While lap times from his private tests remain undisclosed—and would hold little meaning given the varying conditions, dated car, and non-race tires—it's clear that comparisons are premature until Antonelli competes with the F1 grid at the Australian Grand Prix in March.
It wouldn't be surprising if Antonelli had already memorized the fastest times down to the last tenth of a second. The journey to the pinnacle of motorsport is a relentless pursuit, and Antonelli seems determined to prove his worth with every revolution of the wheel.
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