Deploy Folding Table of contents
The 18-year-old racing prodigy, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, took to the track for another practice session with the Mercedes team in Mexico City. This marked the second occasion where the aspiring successor to Lewis Hamilton had the opportunity to drive in a practice session. After a rough start in Monza that involved an early crash, Antonelli approached the Mexican circuit with a more measured attitude. “I wasn’t even pushing to my limits,” he explained, justifying his twelfth-place finish in the session.
A Promising Start Despite Setbacks
While George Russell led the timesheets during the initial practice session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Antonelli had to settle for twelfth place. The Mercedes protégé took over from Lewis Hamilton, aiming to complete the session without causing any damage. After all, his first outing in Formula 1 at Monza ended prematurely when he went off track just a few laps in.
A Lesson in Patience and Reflection
Reflecting on his performance, Antonelli expressed relief, stating, “It was significantly better than my experience in Monza.” He took a more conservative approach during this session, prioritizing safety over speed. “Today was about getting through a clean session, learning more about the car and the tires. I felt like I wasn’t even pushing hard,” he said with a touch of pride. “That was a choice I made myself; today was ma.comy about completing a solid session.”
Navigating Challenges: Damage Control
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the young Italian. Early in his second practice session, he ran over debris on the track, which significantly damaged the floor of the W15. “I didn’t see it coming,” Antonelli candidly admitted. “That caused quite a bit of damage, but thankfully I was able to complete a few more laps afterward.”
Gaining Valuable Experience
Despite the setbacks, he remained optimistic about his performance on the unfamiliar circuit. “This was my very first time racing here. I learned a lot and managed to regain some confidence on the track. When I switched to the soft tires, I could feel the car had much more grip, especially since I had been on the hard tires for long runs prior to that,” Antonelli concluded. Looking ahead, he will officially debut with the Mercedes team next year, stepping into the role previously held by Lewis Hamilton.
As a young independent media, Leading Sport aneeds your help. Please support us by following us and bookmarking us on Google News. Thank you for your support!
