“What would I say to that kid who debuted here at Monza last year in FP1 and kissed the wall? I’d tell him not to focus too much on the result, but rather on the path ahead and what needs to be done to do things right.”
A year in Formula 1 turns you into a man, and today Kimi Antonelli, at just 19 years old, looks back at that dream-filled boy with new eyes.

Wise words from the Mercedes driver—words that apply just as much to the man he’s becoming today.

After a fantastic start to the season, well beyond expectations, Kimi is now facing a challenging stretch, and his sixth place in qualifying comes as a real breath of fresh air.

What should truly satisfy Antonelli is the gap to George Russell, with whom he’ll share the entire third row on the grid tomorrow: just 0.043 seconds.

“Honestly, I started feeling confident with the car on my first lap in Q2. But it was a tough qualifying because I was tense,” Andrea admitted after the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session.

“Yesterday in Free Practice 2, I went off right away and lost my rhythm. In FP1 I started off well but then went off again. This morning I had to restart from zero. Still, I’m happy with my progress, even if my final lap in Q3 wasn’t great. I made a few small mistakes. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

The FP2 off-track moment came at the wrong time, especially as setup changes had been planned for that session. Missing the chance to test them was far from ideal.

“The problem is, setup-wise, we had some changes planned for FP2, but since I went off, we couldn’t try anything. Then we had to change quite a few things after FP3, which is never ideal. Still, the car felt good, and I was happy. Now we just need to work hard for tomorrow.”

Despite the strong P6 result, Antonelli wasn’t happy with his final lap. A few mistakes cost him at least one spot—likely the one just ahead, taken by teammate George Russell.

“I’m not happy with my lap, like I said. I knew I could’ve done more. But overall, I was pretty pleased with the session. It feels good to have a strong qualifying after a difficult period. Sixth place is great, especially in front of all the fans.”

When asked about the differences between his and Russell’s driving styles, Antonelli offered a technical insight into what he needs from the car:

“In the end, Russell and I have different driving styles. I ask more from the car—especially on corner entry. I need a rear end that stays planted. In terms of setup, we’re similar but not the same, because our styles differ.”

To close, Kimi touched on pressure management—a key area where things went wrong for him at Imola. At Monza, however, it seems things are clicking.

“In terms of pressure management, things are going much better. Imola was a great experience and a really good lesson for me. So far here at Monza, I’ve felt very comfortable.”

Calm under pressure, self-aware, and hungry to improve—Kimi Antonelli is growing fast, and Monza just might be the turning point he’s been needing.