Andrea Kimi Antonelli His smartphone beeps to announce the arrival of his Thursday itinerary. Just like everything else, Mercedes Its efficiency is complemented by its thoroughness: just slightly more than 24 hours are left before his inaugural Formula 1 race weekend practice session, yet he arrived in Melbourne a few days ago to synchronize his body clock with the local time schedule.
Kimi wonders after examining the color-coded spreadsheet, "Is it actually possible for us to get everything done today?"
A press briefing is set for 9 AM, coordinated with your teammate. George Russell , reserve driver Valtteri Bottas And team principal Toto Wolff meets at a coastal location in St. Kilda, which overlooks Port Phillip Bay and stretches toward the open sea. Following the timetable, Antonelli shows up dressed in the Mercedes outfit selected for race weekends in 2025.
"How do I look?" Kimi asks with a touch of pride. Then he steps onto the stage and, from that moment, the real grind begins.
It’s regrettable but expected for someone like Antonelli who is just starting his F1 career, that many of the queries focus on the driver he replaced in his position. Lewis Hamilton It serves as a well that his conversational partners frequently revisit.
"I don’t want to sound arrogant," Kimi says, "but I’d like to write my own story. I don’t know what the future holds, but I just want to follow my own path."
Roberto Chinchero of Motorsport.com Italy interviews Andrea Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes.
Photo courtesy of: Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team
Once the media session ends, it's straight to the track for a meeting with the engineers to discuss the weekend ahead. The rest of the day is similarly dictated by business, both sporting and marketing: the mandatory FIA weigh-in, the official photo of all drivers on the grid (will they all still be there at season’s end?), his first official FIA press conference, a social media session for the team, an autograph session with fans, a meeting with Australian football players, another briefing with engineers under his race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, and an event with Mercedes Australia representatives.
Though he doesn’t show it, Kimi has been eagerly awaiting his family’s arrival in Melbourne on Thursday – his father Marco, mother Veronica and younger sister Maggie. They’re staying in a different hotel and, each morning, he picks them up himself – having passed his driving test just six weeks ago.
"Now that I have my driving licence, it’s only fair," he says. "They drove me around for years."
Friday starts early for Kimi: in the gym at 8am with his performance coach, Sergi Avila. This isn’t a feel-the-burn workout. Like the other coaches on the grid, Avila is more than just a personal trainer – he acts as driver-whisperer and helps manage stress ahead of the big weekend.
Avila starts off by emphasizing mobility drills," he notes, "followed by rapid activation and visualization tasks. This process aids in evaluating whether the individual had sufficient rest.
Similar to numerous other Formula 1 drivers, Antonelli uses a 'smart ring' that monitors his physical activities and provides Avila with different health and performance data, along with tracking his sleep patterns.
Sleep tracking ensures that drivers can’t stay up too late," Avila chuckles. "We would detect it right away.
Each part of Antonelli’s extensive trip from Italy to Melbourne was meticulously planned, with even a single day allocated for a layover in Kuala Lumpur. The human body’s innate circadian rhythm—the sleep-wake cycle—adjusts slowly over time and largely follows patterns set by exposure to daylight.
Having this layover assists Kimi in adapting to the new time zone gradually," explains Avila. "Additionally, we opted for red-eye flights arriving early in the morning.
Nutrition plays a vital role in a driver's health and performance, yet Avila doesn’t see this as problematic: "Kimi benefits from his family’s emphasis on maintaining a healthy diet."
When he arrives at the circuit, Antonelli finds a distinctive aspect of Melbourne. The drivers are some of the few individuals permitted to use the inner roads of Albert Park. After reaching their designated parking zone, they have to make their way along 'Melbourne Walk,' which has turned into an essential draw for enthusiasts. It’s customary for each Formula 1 star to pause here for signatures, pictures, and friendly exchanges with fans.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Image courtesy of: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
"Wow, there are so many people here!" Kimi says as he surveys the bustling crowd of enthusiasts, majority waving photos and memorabilia for him to autograph. Given that this event is taking place in Australia—a nation with deep-rooted Formula 1 heritage—even though he’s new to racing, everybody recognizes him: "Kimi!" they shout, and their cries grow even louder as he approaches.
A supporter presents him with a vintage karting photograph. He exclaims, taken aback, “How did you come across this?” Meanwhile, others welcome him in Italian (“Our presence here isn’t solely for Ferrari !) or hope for a podium finish," he replies carefully, "Perhaps! It will require some time...
As Kimi walks the path, Christian Horner overtakes him, seemingly drawing less attention than the young Italian – a fact which will probably cause him to chafe, given how carefully he grooms his profile via the likes of Drive to Survive . It’s a good 20 minutes before Antonelli finally reaches the paddock gates and swipes through with his pass.
Kimi’s agenda remains packed: greetings, a quick team meeting, and answering precise technical questions, surrounded by engineers, all with headsets and screens. It’s like a NASA control room but, having been in the Mercedes young-driver set-up for so long, Antonelli is entirely familiar with the environment.
Toto Wolff arrives just before FP1. "Everything okay, Kimi?" A different feeling is creeping into the air in the garage, as the minutes tick by towards the moment when cars venture out onto track. Antonelli just nods – he’s already in ‘race mode’.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Image courtesy of: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Time passes quickly. Following FP2, Antonelli reviews his session: "We seem to have good endurance. However, I must refine my warm-up procedure for the softer tires." His mother gently tousles his hair.
"He acknowledges it's decent, yet he feels he needs significant improvement," he states. His father then provides two insights, prompting Kimi to nod before proceeding with another engineering review.
He mentions, 'I competed here last year in F2,' but adds that driving an F1 car makes it feel like an entirely new track. Even the tires are significantly different compared to what was used during testing.
BonNINGTON offers encouragement with, "Not bad for starters." However, it's evident that ANTOANELLI aims for greater things.
On Saturday morning, the day kicks off with more fan engagements as people arrive, but the main attraction for the local audience starts at 11 am: a 'fan zone' event. A vehicle is dispatched to transport Antonelli and Russell to the location where all 20 racers are scheduled to make individual appearances on stage.
Roberto Chinchero of Motorsport.com Italy interviews Andrea Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, and Mercedes
Photo courtesy of: Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team
As they get closer, Kimi takes an uncommon action for an F1 driver; their car has tinted windows, hiding the passengers from view. However, Antonelli lowers his window to acknowledge the audience. “There are so many people here! It’s fantastic to witness such enthusiasm among the fans, and most of them seem to be youngsters.”
Kimi has brought Maggie with her, and they stroll backstage holding hands, an instant snapped by the horde of photographers and promptly shared across social media platforms as a perfect representation of 'heartwarming moments.' Up on stage, both Kimi and Russell get a standing ovation from the audience.
"Feels like a concert!" exclaims Maggie.
Ten minutes of questions, a quick game with the audience, some cap-throwing – then back to the paddock for qualifying. As with all other aspects of the day, the drivers are on the clock so they’re ushered back again by car.
The following track session presents the most disheartening moment of his weekend. Having damaged the car's floor on the curb at Turn 6, Antonelli fails to progress beyond Q1, making the challenge ahead even tougher.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo credit: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
While his mechanics examine the underside of the W16 for damages, the rest of the crew gathers around to offer support. They comfort him with reassuring words: "Don’t worry about it; these things happen—let’s concentrate on what lies ahead."
Antonelli manages a forced grin, yet his irritation is clear. The performance he exhibited during FP3 indicated a far superior result compared to his ultimate starting position of 16th place.
"But should it actually rain tomorrow..." his father remarks prophetically after examining the weather report.
On Sunday, the 'what-ifs' leave—as forecasted, the rain comes down heavily, leading to the cancellation of the Formula 2 race. Due to the tight scheduling, there isn’t an opportunity to reschedule it post-grand prix; all preparations must conclude so that everyone can head off to China for the following week’s event.
Think about the letdown," Kimi states. "Making the journey all the way to Australia only to sit out the race! It must be devastating for those who secured their spots at the front.
The following query revolves around whether the Grand Prix will experience similar impacts. With the race approaching, anticipation mounts—not just for Kimi but also for everyone else on the starting grid. Interestingly, only Maggie appears at ease as she busies herself with coloring pens inside the Mercedes hospitality area.
Exactly when it appears the rain has diminished sufficiently for the grand prix to start punctually, a 15-minute postponement occurs as Isack Hadjar As they begin the formation lap, collisions occur at the barriers. Once the grid starts moving again for the actual start, Kimi’s mother finds the television coverage too nerve-wracking; she retreats to a separate room equipped only with a timing screen.
It's a good call – she avoids the panic moment when Kimi spins after touching the grass at Turn 3. But from there, he stages a remarkable recovery. Lap after lap, he climbs the order.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Two laps from the finish, Toto Wolff calls Andrea's parents into the garage. Moments later, the chequered flag confirms Antonelli’s P4 finish. Hugs, pats on the back and smiles abound as they rush to parc ferme to meet him.
The whole team congregates beneath the podium to honor Russell's third-place finish before Antonelli makes his way to the 'pen' for the required post-race interviews. "I must admit, all the questions turned out to be rather agreeable," he comments.
In the Mercedes hospitality lounge, Wolff is the happiest of all—back when Antonelli was still racing karts, he believed in the young driver's potential, and today his faith has been rewarded. Today, what should be a quick stroll from the interview zone back to the team’s base turns into a more drawn-out affair as every person they encounter wants to congratulate Kimi with firm handclasps and celebratory slaps five; even amidst this outpouring of affection, he remains gracious, offering grateful smiles and heartfelt thanks at each stop along their journey. It becomes clear just how deeply appreciated his efforts have become within the community.
The moment he sits down, his first words convey everything: "Now I can say I've wiped out Monza."
Last year during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, his debut in FP1 drew both admiration and curiosity. He showcased remarkable speed and an aggressive driving style. elan … before crashing.
By the way, I hope you noticed my move on Albon — not too shabby, eh?" He says with a grin before looking at the race results. "Well... there are quite a few prominent drivers trailing behind me, aren’t there?
The Antonelli family’s table is located near the hospitality entrance, where many people stop by to offer their congratulations. " Tonight? I'll be napping — on the flight. We head out right away for Shanghai."
As his family takes a short break Down Under, Kimi drifts off shortly after takeoff. Before turning off his device, however, he catches one final message from Wolff: "IN THE FUTURE, AVOID WHITE LINES AND GRASS."
Kim laughs. "I guess he was more frightened than I was..."
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
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