Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord said Kimi Antonelli packed three years' worth of learning into his 2025 rookie Formula 1 season. The Italian driver finished seventh in the standings with 150 points after replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Antonelli has since won the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix and leads the drivers' standings.
Kimi Antonelli stepped into Lewis Hamilton's seat at Mercedes for the 2025 season, facing immediate pressure in a front-running team battling for second in the constructors' championship. Despite challenges that dented his confidence early on, Antonelli delivered strong late-season results, including podium finishes at the Canadian, Brazilian, and Las Vegas Grands Prix, plus a solid performance in Baku. He ended the year seventh overall with 150 points, securing his first podium in Canada. Bradley Lord, Mercedes deputy team principal, highlighted Antonelli's growth during the Mercedes Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show. Lord noted, 'It felt to me like you often talk about the difficult second album or the difficult second season for a driver, and Kimi managed to have about three years' worth of learning in one last year, possibly just being in a front-running team as well, in the pressure of a battle for P2 in the constructors.' He added that Antonelli's self-belief now matches the team's trust, especially after rebuilding through those end-of-season performances. Entering 2026 with a winter reset, Antonelli claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory at the Chinese Grand Prix and followed with a win at the Japanese Grand Prix, taking the lead in the drivers' standings. Lord observed that the young driver now carries more than one season's experience.
