Lewis Hamilton’s exit could have derailed Mercedes even further but the rookie who has replaced him, Kimi Antonelli, has enjoyed a very impressive start in Formula 1
Mercedes chiefs are barely missing Lewis Hamilton at all thanks to rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli’s superb start to life in Formula 1. While the seven-time champion struggles to adapt to Ferrari’s operations, the teenager Mercedes promoted to replace him has hit the ground running.
A superb drive to fourth place in the Melbourne rain on debut confirmed for the Silver Arrows their belief that, in 18-year-old Antonelli, they have the sport’s next superstar on their hands.
“From the first time we put him in an F1 car, you could see he was going to be a decent F1 driver and we had high expectations,” said Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director who is one of several team leaders stepping up to fill in for absent boss Toto Wolff at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.
“If you look at how he performed in that wet race in Melbourne, that was quite exceptional for someone in their first race. And while we did a lot of mileage with him in testing, he’s not running with other cars, so this is the first opportunity you can put him in those racing situations.
“He was unlucky that he had damage to his car in Melbourne qualifying. Unlucky that he had damage on lap one in the race in China. But from what we’ve seen, really impressed and reassuring that he’s only going to get better from where he is already.”
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New team leader George Russell has also enjoyed a strong start to the new season. Back-to-back podiums in Melbourne and Shanghai have gone a long way to quieten those who may have doubted whether the Brit was ready to be the undisputed number one in Hamilton’s absence.
Wolff has been effusive in his public praise for Russell and Shovlin agrees that the 27-year-old has stepped up in impressive fashion. He said: “Certainly within the team, he’s very calm. He seems very confident. He’s done a great job in the first two races, so that’s been really encouraging.
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“He just seems to be very relaxed in his position in the team now and he’s just going about getting the points, trying to qualify as well as he can. Front row in China was very encouraging. He’s pushing us hard to improve and he’s doing a lot of work himself.
Meanwhile, at Ferrari, Hamilton is slowly settling in but admits he’ll need more time before he can produce his best form. “From weekend to weekend I’m getting more comfortable in the surroundings and in the car,” he said.
“I’m starting to get to a point where I can push the car in a direction and know which tools I have to put the car in a better place, so I’m getting more comfortable with it. I expect that to just continue over all the races.”
Mercedes head into the Suzuka race weekend second on the constructors’ championship behind only leaders and defending champions McLaren. In contrast, Ferrari are fifth and level on points with minnows Williams.