Nico Rosberg has publicly appealed to Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff, to provide Kimi Antonelli with a new F1 contract after the young driver suffered another difficult qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix. Rosberg emphasized that extending Antonelli’s deal could help alleviate the intense pressure he faces following a series of disappointing performances.
Antonelli endured a tough weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, failing to make it past Q1 and struggling again in the sprint qualifying, where he spun off and ended up at the rear of the starting grid. These setbacks have compounded Antonelli’s confidence issues, a concern Rosberg addressed by encouraging Wolff to ensure the 18-year-old feels secure within the team amid ongoing challenges and external competition.
Antonelli’s Current Struggles and Contract Status
The Italian driver’s form has been inconsistent, with the latest race underscoring his difficulties adapting to the technical and strategic demands of Formula 1. Alongside Mercedes teammate George Russell, Antonelli’s contract is set to expire at the end of the year, leaving his future uncertain. Rosberg pointed out that with Mercedes reportedly keeping an eye on other talents such as Max Verstappen, offering Antonelli a contract extension would be a vital confidence boost, helping him focus on improving rather than worrying about job security.
“What I would do in Toto’s case would be signing a contract with him,”
Rosberg said.
“It’s not much money. It would give him such a boost of confidence and then if by any chance it really goes bad towards the end of the year you can still pay him out and make a change as we’ve always seen in F1 but just by signing that contract, it would give him certainly this one step change of comfort, relaxation, time. I think that could be something interesting.”
Potential for Recovery Despite Poor Qualifying Results
Despite Antonelli’s recent setbacks, Rosberg believes the young driver still has the potential to recover strongly during the race, especially if weather conditions become unpredictable, which is often the case in Belgium. He referenced Antonelli’s impressive finish in Australia, where he climbed from the back of the grid to near the podium, highlighting his ability to make progress under challenging circumstances.
“In Australia, he almost finished on the podium from all the way back there. He finished fourth if I am not mistaken,”
Rosberg noted.
Rosberg added that Antonelli could emulate that performance if the conditions are variable during the race. He expressed empathy for Antonelli’s mental state, understanding the difficulty of facing negative scrutiny while lacking contractual certainty.
“He can do the same tomorrow, why not? If the conditions are mixed and all over the place. Anything is possible. It really hurts me to see him in an interview like that because I can super relate how tough and how horrible the moment is for him. George again is P6 and he’s down all the way almost at the end of the grid. It’s so, so tough.”
“Everybody is criticising you and looking at you a little bit negatively and internally, it’s a very difficult dynamic. He doesn’t have a contract for next year either so his whole dream is also at play here. It’s horrible for him.”
Antonelli’s Plan to Start from the Pit Lane to Adapt Strategy
After qualifying, Antonelli announced that he intends to begin the race from the pit lane, a move that would allow him to change his car setup in response to weather conditions and improve his chances of recovery during the race. The decision also reflects his current struggle to extract maximum performance from the car.
“I think I’ve been lacking confidence to be honest today more than yesterday,”
Antonelli admitted.
He described the situation as a challenging moment in his career that requires him to find renewed motivation and form. Antonelli drew inspiration from a recent race performance by Nico Hulkenberg, who climbed from 19th to 3rd place, noting that he hopes to achieve a similar comeback if the rain arrives as expected.
“Hulkenberg last race – he went from P19 to P3 so it would be amazing to do the same thing. It looks like it’s going to rain but we will start from the pit lane just because we want to change the car and try to build from there.”
Looking Ahead: The Importance of Stability for Antonelli’s F1 Career
Rosberg’s call for Toto Wolff to secure a new contract for Kimi Antonelli highlights the critical role that team confidence and stability play in a young driver’s development, especially during moments of struggle. With Antonelli’s future at Mercedes still undecided, an extension could provide the security needed to regain form and fully unleash his potential on the F1 grid. The Belgian Grand Prix weekend will test Antonelli’s resilience and ability to capitalize on race-day opportunities amid persistent pressure both on and off the track.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does Kimi Antonelli have photographic memory?
A. Ollie Bearman is impressed by how Kimi Antonelli can remember his lap times so easily. Antonelli’s amazing memory for lap times surprises Bearman, who is also a rookie.
Q. How did Kimi Antonelli crash?
A. Antonelli, an 18-year-old newcomer for Mercedes, collided with Verstappen’s Red Bull on Sunday. This happened because his brakes locked at the third corner of the first lap. The crash damaged both cars so badly that neither driver could keep racing, which severely harmed Verstappen’s chances of winning the title.
Q. Why did Kimi Antonelli crash?
A. The stewards explained that Antonelli “made a mistake” by locking his back wheels. He was trying to prevent crashing into Liam Lawson’s car. To avoid the collision, he briefly let go of the brakes.
Q. How old was Kimi Antonelli when he was in F4?
A. He began racing cars at just 15 years old. He quickly won several titles, including the Italian and ADAC F4 championships in 2022. The following year, he achieved victory in the Formula Regional Middle East and European categories.