Andrea Kimi Antonelli maintains that his level of self-assurance has not been diminished following his incident during the second practice session at the Italian Grand Prix, as the Formula 1 newcomer endeavors to rally after a challenging stretch for Mercedes.
Within the initial ten minutes of Friday afternoon’s second hour-long practice, Antonelli encountered a skid in the second Lesmo corner but was unable to prevent himself from veering into the gravel, resulting in his car becoming lodged.
Consequently, this mishap deprived him of significant time on the track, but Antonelli asserts that it will not undermine his confidence upon his return to the circuit one year following an FP1 debut that concluded with a collision at Parabolica.
“I simply exerted a bit too much pressure relative to the available grip at that instant, which was unfortunate,” the 19-year-old stated. “The day was progressing favorably. I had a productive FP1 session, and the commencement of FP2 also appeared promising, so my confidence remains robust.
“Evidently, we will need to implement a slightly modified program tomorrow, but we will endeavor to be prepared for any eventuality.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Russell, who secured 10th position in FP2, conveyed that he also underwent several unsettling instances while operating the W16, acknowledging that he conceded three-tenths of a second to the frontrunner, Lando Norris, driving for McLaren.
“It didn’t evoke a sense of exceptionality out there. I was contending with a degree of uncertainty and encountered a few situations akin to Kimi’s,” he articulated. “It was simply challenging to maintain the car in an optimal condition.
“It proved to be a demanding day at Monza; you revert to the low downforce configuration of the car, which induces a sensation of ‘floating,’ and the rear exhibits considerable looseness. It didn’t register as particularly remarkable for us today.
“Ordinarily, a deficit of three-tenths of a second would position us just behind the McLarens, indicating a close margin, and I anticipate a similar scenario tomorrow.”
