P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Kimi Antonelli’s first F1 race on home soil did not go as planned as he was forced to pull to the side of the road midway through the grand prix at Imola.
Mercedes has disclosed the reasons for Kimi Antonelli’s disappointment exit from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Despite a challenging qualifying session at Imola, Antonelli failed to move forward into the top 10 shootout and started in 13th place. Employing an alternative strategy, the 18-year-old managed to enter the points, making use of a cost-effective pit stop under a virtual safety car. However, shortly after transitioning from hard to medium tires, his car started encountering problems, ultimately leading to his retirement from the race. Antonelli expressed his regrets, noting both the luck of the virtual safety car and the risks associated with trying a different strategy. His car experienced power delivery issues before completely failing, marking the end of his F1 race. Unfortunately, after only a few laps on the mediums, the throttle problems began, affecting the car’s performance on straights. The inconsistency persisted, resulting in a disappointing finish for the rookie. Antonelli acknowledged the setback and emphasized the need to analyze the weekend’s events to come back stronger for the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix.
