Kimi Antonelli climbs from P16 to P4: A stellar Australian GP debut despite adversity
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Kimi Antonelli expressed immense satisfaction with his impressive climb from P16 to P4 during a dramatic Australian Grand Prix. The young Italian praised the Mercedes team for meticulously guiding him through a race that featured fluctuating weather conditions and multiple Safety Cars.
Qualifying was rough for Antonelli, who struggled after sustaining floor damage to his W16 when he hit the kerbs, forcing an early exit in Q1. With rain hitting the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, the rookie was poised for a challenging debut race.
Despite the adverse conditions, which tripped up many drivers, Antonelli maintained composure throughout the 57 laps, initially crossing the finish line in fourth place. A five-second penalty for an unsafe release from the pits later demoted him to fifth. However, following a 'Right of Review' request by Mercedes and subsequent review of new footage by the stewards, the penalty was overturned, promoting Antonelli back to fourth place.
Reflecting on his inaugural F1 race outcome, a beaming Antonelli said, "It was a really, really eventful race. We got all the possible conditions for a first race! Definitely not an easy one, but super happy."
"The team did a great job, I was happy also [with] how I managed even though I did a couple of mistakes which cost me a bit of time, especially with the speed."
"Conditions were super, super tricky, but otherwise [I’m] really happy. The team guided me really well throughout the whole race, and now [I’m] looking forward to China."
When asked how proud he was of his own performance and that of the Mercedes team over the weekend, Antonelli responded positively, highlighting his swift adaptation despite the difficult conditions. "Definitely, I was really happy with the progression I was having in free practice. Of course qualifying was disappointing with what happened, I think I could have managed a little bit better as well from my side."
"But it was really good experience, and today was also good experience to see what happens from the back and the way I can manage to progress. Definitely really good learning, and I cannot complain about the result."
Antonelli's remarkable performance on his debut showcases his promising potential as he looks forward to an exciting season ahead with Mercedes.
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