Kimi Antonelli has reflected on his maiden podium finish at the Canadian GP after a hard battle with Oscar Piastri.
Starting fourth, Kimi Antonelli launched off the start line, and eyed up a move on championship leader Piastri after Turn 1. Pulling off the move going into Turn 3, Antonelli then drove a defensive race.
Showing maturity and demonstrating skilled race-craft, the 18-year-old Italian kept calm under the constant pressure of Piastri throughout the race.
In the closing stages as the leaders started to bunch up, Antonelli had two McLarens bearing down on him at vast rate of knots. Soaking up the pressure, he made no mistakes under the threat of constant attack from the two papaya cars.
The dramatic late crash of Lando Norris into Piastri gave Antonelli breathing space, before the Safety car was deployed. This secured his maiden podium in F1, to the delight of Mercedes.
One move set Kimi Antonelli en-route to the podium at the Canadian GP
Speaking in Parc Ferme after the race, KImi Antonelli walked through the move at the start on Russell.
“I had a good first launch and I managed to get alongside and then in the first corner I just tried to carry as much speed as possible and then when I was outside in P2 I knew I would have had the advantage, especially going to P3 and really happy to take that.”
Like team-mate and race winner George Russell, Kimi Antonelli would not be drawn into discussions of a renaissance for Mercedes.
When pressed on the subject, he said he hoped the team could build on its growing momentum. He confirmed he has his sights firmly set on a race victory in the not too distant future.
“That’s the goal. Definitely this track has been good for us. The car has been incredible all weekend.Hopefully we can carry the same momentum into the next few races.”
Antonelli’s podium has seen the young Italian move to within 16 points of Lewis Hamilton in the Driver’s Championship. He remains in seventh.
Mercedes’ high-scoring weekend at the Canadian GP has also seen the Silver Arrows make progress in the Constructors’ Championship. The team, currently lying in third place, has moved to within six points of second placed Ferrari ahead of the Austrian GP in two weeks time.
