As a rookie at Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli does not have an easy season and, in the opinion of ex-formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, has to increase quickly. Otherwise, an early detachment in the silver arrows could even be the result, at least one candidate as a possible replacement makes Schumacher in the paddock.
If it goes to Ralf Schumacher, Mercedes-Rokie Kimi Antonelli was simply “incorrectly prepared” on Formula 1, as he did in conversation with “Formel1.de” on YouTube. At the same time, the 19-year-old, who has not replaced none other than Lewis Hamilton, was “incorrectly presented” by his team in public.
“Toto Wolff tried to protect him on the one hand, but expectations were just far too big,” said Schumacher. Antonelli still needs “his time” to establish itself in the premier class.
But: “Formula 1 is not a pony farm and it has to go a little faster.” In the end, the youngster had more courage to do, but this also led to mistakes, says Schumacher. “He urgently has to get that under control.”
According to the TV expert, the consequence could be that the Mercedes chapter for Kimi Antonelli ended early. The headwind should also be “internally at Mercedes”, said Schumacher. “Then you could think about whether he would not be a topic at Alpine or something – i.e. with a smaller team – where he has a little more peace.”
Formula 1: Sainz takes over for Antonelli?
As a positive example, Ralf Schumacher Alex Albon, whose Formula 1 career, recorded again after his less successful Red Bull era at Williams. Ultimately, Antonelli at Mercedes was possibly “expected too much. And he shouldn’t take that bad, but: He is not a Max Verstappen.”
Antonelli has to “show more stability in the last part of the season, above all recognizable in the next three or four races. But it will be difficult for him again because now there are routes that he does not know. He has to make the difference now, because of my sake he has to sleep in the simulator,” said the brother of record world champion Michael Schumacher.
At Mercedes, Antonelli only has a contract until the end of the season. Ralf Schumacher does not really believe that one thinks of another driver’s exchange for the new season for the new season.
But think about which Formula 1 pilot the cockpit could take over, the 50-year-old does not have to: “Carlos Sainz, I think, would be at any time. I mean, there are apparently any clauses, I don’t know exactly, but at least that’s how you hear that would be the first one.”
Sainz had had to vacate his place at Ferrari for Hamilton at the beginning of the season and had switched to Williams.