Antonelli brings school to the Imola circuit for home F1 debut

Having become the 14th Italian to set the pace in a grid-deciding session last time out in Miami, Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli has offered a reflection on the opening phase of his F1 career.

Now entering into his seventh Formula 1 event for Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to complete his first home race at the pinnacle of motorsport. The Bologna-born driver will become the first Italian to race in front of the local crowd since Antonio Giovinazzi in 2021.

The 18-year-old is combining his rookie F1 season with his final exams, on the insistence of his mother. Antonelli studies at the Salvemini di Casalecchio di Reno Technical Institute which is located in Bologna, just a few miles away from the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari where this weekend's F1 round will take place.

Antonelli has invited 25 of his classmates and two teachers for Thursday of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to show them the inside world of Formula One.

Reflecting on the first part of his debut season, Antonelli said: "I think it's been a pretty positive start. Of course, we have had ups and down, but it's been a smooth start, and the progression has been there each weekend.

"I know that there is a lot to work on, and we always want to do better, but we can be happy with how it's going."

Asked what has surprised him during his debut season so far, the Italian noted: "That has been what has surprised me the most. The intensity of the weekend, and life itself.

"Not only at the track, but off it to at home and in the week, being back at the factory doing correlation as well as the marketing side of things too. My life is a lot busier, but I'm not complaining at all - it is all a huge positive."

Reflecting on what he has learned so far over the opening six F1 rounds, Antonelli said that drivers need to be "ready to go at the start of a weekend" in order to extract the maximum from the car.

"Every weekend is a huge learning opportunity. I don't take anything for granted. I go into every race trying to set myself up as best I can. I don't think about easing myself in, because then I will find myself too many steps behind.

"I have learned that you have to be ready to go at the start of a weekend. I have to stay present, and on top of my game. Otherwise, I'll have too much to make up."