Struggling Start for Antonelli in Formula 1 Debut on Challenging Circuit
Italian rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli faced a tough start in his Formula 1 debut on the complex Jeddah circuit. Antonelli, representing Mercedes, found himself outside the top-10 in both free practice sessions on Friday, finishing 13th in FP1 and climbing slightly to 11th under the Saudi Arabian track’s artificial lights.
Acknowledging the challenges of navigating one of the trickiest circuits on the calendar, Antonelli expressed his struggles, stating, “It was a rather difficult day. It was hard to put together clean laps, but I am satisfied with what we were able to achieve. We worked on many details, and I managed to gain confidence on the track. It’s a circuit that demands a lot of confidence at high speeds, and you have to keep the car close to the walls.”
Despite the difficulties, Antonelli remained optimistic about the weekend ahead, emphasizing the competitiveness among teams and the need for self-focus in performance optimization. Looking ahead to the rest of the weekend, Antonelli highlighted the importance of analyzing data overnight to come back stronger on Saturday.
As Antonelli adapts to the demands of Formula 1 and the challenges of the Jeddah circuit, all eyes will be on the young Italian driver to see how he rises to the occasion in the upcoming sessions.