After a rookie campaign filled with key lessons and impressive races, Mercedes’s Kimi Antonelli secured 8th in Pit Debrief’s Driver Rankings for the 2025 F1 season.
The young Italian was announced as a Mercedes F1 driver for 2025 at the 2024 Italian GP, replacing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and immediately placing him in the spotlight. Despite experiencing mid-season struggles, Antonelli ultimately claimed 7th in the Drivers’ Championship with 150 points, while Mercedes took second place in the teams’ standings.
Youngest driver to lead a race
Antonelli’s F1 season debut in Melbourne got off to a strong start as he charged from 16th on the grid to finish P4 in mixed weather. The Mercedes driver showcased strong racecraft and decisive overtakes, delivering one of the most standout debuts among the six rookies.
He carried that momentum into China and Japan, qualifying inside the top ten and scoring points at both tracks. At Suzuka, Antonelli also became the youngest driver ever to lead an F1 race at 18, marking one of his first breakthrough moments.
Miami qualifying magic
Despite racing at the Miami International Autodrome for the first time, Antonelli outqualified teammate George Russell for the first time to secure his maiden Sprint pole position, just 0.045 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri. This made him the youngest polesitter in any F1 format, outshining Sebastian Vettel’s long-standing record.
Although he lost the lead at Turn 1 and finished P7, Antonelli’s one-lap pace remained a clear strength. He again outqualified Russell for Sunday’s race, starting P3 before dropping to P7, marking the start of a recurring pattern of standout qualifying followed by more challenging race executions.
A maiden podium among retirements
Antonelli’s mid-season saw rookie mistakes, technical issues, and the growing pressure of driving for a top team. He suffered four DNFs during this phase while earning his maiden podium.
He ran as high as P5 in his first home race in Imola before a technical issue forced him to retire on Lap 46. A finish outside the points followed in Monaco with another retirement in Barcelona, which was caused by an engine failure beyond his control.
His spark briefly reappeared at the Canadian GP, where he claimed his maiden F1 podium with a controlled drive to P3 after qualifying fourth.
However, his struggles resumed in Austria with a rookie mistake on Lap 1 where Antonelli missed his braking point and locked up at Turn 3, colliding with four-time champion Max Verstappen. This collision earned him a three-place grid penalty for Silverstone, which ended in another DNF due to contact with Racing Bulls rookie, Isack Hadjar. Although that was understandable in atrocious conditions.
Antonelli’s season continued with a finish outside the points at the Belgium GP, and a P10 in Hungary, before another collision in Zandvoort that forced Charles Leclerc to retire. A 10-second time penalty for the crash ultimately left him in P16.
The Italian’s mid-season struggles revealed the fine line between a rookie’s ambition and the pressure to deliver, often pushing beyond the limits.
Regaining confidence
After returning to the points at Monza with a P9, Mercedes held a critical meeting with Antonelli, which helped him reset his approach and return to scoring consistently.
In Azerbaijan, he outqualified Russell and went on to finished P4, while in Singapore, he finished with a strong P5. Austin tested his resilience after early contact with Carlos Sainz sent him into a spin, from which he quickly recovered and continued.
His most consistent and eye-catching weekend came in São Paulo. Antonelli qualified P2 for both the Sprint and Grand Prix, pressuring the race leader, Norris, during the Sprint before defending brilliantly against an on-the-charge Verstappen on Sunday. Despite brief chaos during a three-wide battle with Piastri and Leclerc, he held firm to finish in P2. It was a clear sign of growth in race composure.
Final stint
Las Vegas arguably marked Antonelli’s best drive. Starting in P17, he fought through the field to claim P3 after an original P5 finish saw him promoted to the podium through a double McLaren disqualification. Throughout the race, Antonelli suffered a five-second time penalty for a false start, while completing 48 laps on the hard tyre. His long stint made his race even more memorable, given the graining challenges the Las Vegas Street Circuit presents.
Further points followed in Qatar, with a P6 in the Sprint and a P5 in the race, where he made a small yet decisive error for the Championship battle at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap that let Norris through to P4. Finally, a difficult Abu Dhabi weekend ended his rookie season with P15 after struggling with tyre wear and track limits.
Looking ahead to 2026
Kimi Antonelli experienced a debut F1 season of highs and lows, including record-breaking moments, podiums, DNFs, and rookie mistakes. What placed him 8th in Pit Debrief’s rankings is the level of performance he reached at his best, even if consistency remains a work in progress.
Heading into the second season with Mercedes, Antonelli will look to improve his race execution to match his moments of supreme qualifying pace while adapting to a new car amid significant 2026 regulation changes.
The Italian driver still has a lot to learn, but there is no doubt he has a bright future, highlighted by his flashes of speed, courage, and raw talent.
