Kimi Antonelli is warned: "One mistake and you’re out"

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is living his biggest dream: leading the overall Formula 1 World Championship standings, and at only 19 years old. The driver from Bologna is the youngest ever World Championship leader, and the first driver to win four consecutive races in his second year in Formula 1. But the dream may be shattered, and warning him is the young champion’s father, Marco Antonelli.

“It’s a fantastic moment, of course, but it’s also dangerous. Because now we are at the top. But all it takes is one mistake and you’re out,” he told F1-Insider. “The pressure is strong and we talk a lot about it, but in the end each race is its own story. We have to work hard and go step by step. Kimi has to keep his feet on the ground. Because, as I said, one moment you are the star and the next you are the worst driver in the world. Right now we are trying everything to help him cope. But then it’s just up to him to stay with his feet on the ground and understand that it’s very difficult to stay at the top.”

Antonelli hopes his son will keep his focus firmly in place: “I repeat, it’s by no means certain that we will stay in this position for the whole year. We have to proceed one step at a time and get the most out of each race. Then we will see. We only focus one race at a time.”

A warning that is echoed in the words of another former world champion, Jacques Villeneuve, who wanted to warn the young Bolognese about the dangers of euphoria: “He has to keep his head cool, not start believing too much in his own hype. It’s a very dangerous thing to do. When you think you are untouchable, that’s when mistakes and trouble happen. There’s a recall, you have an accident, and suddenly you start doubting yourself.” The Canadian also stressed that the season is still long and unpredictable: “Right now he is faster than George, he is dominating him. But the season is always a roller coaster, there are good times and not so good times.”