Kimi Antonelli reveals he let the pressure destroy him in his rookie Formula 1 season

Kimi Antonelli, currently leading the 2026 Formula 1 Championship with Mercedes, has opened up about struggling mentally during his rookie 2025 season. The Italian driver, who was fast-tracked from Formula 2 to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, admitted that pressure 'destroyed' him during a difficult mid-season European stretch. Despite showing moments of brilliance, Antonelli said he felt he was letting down those who believed in him, though he appears to have overcome those struggles in his sophomore 2026 campaign.