It is possible Formula One’s expectations are being rewritten by the exploits of a 19-year-old with curly hair.
Kimi Antonelli, from Bologna, imprinted himself in the sport’s folklore with his victory in Miami last Sunday, his third on the trot, and it not only put the wind up his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, the presumptive favourite for the world title, but his explosion on the scene contains the potential to move the dial of motorsport.
Only three drivers have arrived in F1 this century as proteges and made such an impression, if Michael Schumacher is excepted for having delivered his calling card in the 1990s. Fernando Alonso was an undeniable early star. As was Lewis Hamilton, aged 22, when he took the world by storm in 2007 during his debut season. So, too, Max Verstappen, aged 17, with Red Bull’s junior team, then Toro Rosso.
Sebastian Vettel, who went on to win four titles, came close to that exalted status as a tyro of rare promise, and so did Russell, when he stepped over from Williams into Hamilton’s Mercedes seat in Bahrain and nearly won the race in an unfamiliar car when the ‘GOAT’ went down with Covid six years ago.
Antonelli, who is in his second season with the Silver Arrows, has always been acknowledged as super-fast but wise judges considered him a little over-exuberant and too prone to schoolboy errors, a contention lent credence when he crashed in practice in Monza a couple of seasons ago as he first took control of the Mercedes steering wheel.
But Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, saw something of a stardust talent when Antonelli was 11 as a karter of extraordinary gifts. Wolff has backed him unflaggingly as heir to Hamilton. Which is bad news for Russell, another product of their academy and obviously a brilliantly equipped racer himself, but not, it increasingly seems, the favoured son.
George Russell’s championship hopes are taking an early hit from his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli (right), who has opened up a 20-point lead after four race weekends
Toto Wolff (left), the Mercedes team principal, saw something of a stardust talent when Antonelli was 11 as a karter of extraordinary gifts
Russell won the opening race in Australia, and all seemed set fair for him. At 28, he was the more experienced hand. He started the season as favourite for the title in a fine Mercedes that was the cream of the crop. But he has not won any of the three races since.
Bad luck has contributed to this predicament. He endured technical gremlins during a qualifying session that handicapped him in China, the second race, and an unwelcome safety car conspired against his chances in Japan. Last weekend, he cited the track in Miami as having never suited him – he finished fourth, and that leaves him 20 points behind Antonelli.
Russell is a master in Canada, the scene of the next race in three weeks’ time and where he won last year. He almost needs to. It is the biggest test of his life in many ways. Should he narrow the gap to Antonelli, his nerves will be settled. If he doesn’t, it will look as if he has the yips. Further, if Antonelli were to win instead, he may assume the look of a runaway train. Momentum will increasingly be with him. And then, for Russell, a neurosis might set in.
For now, Russell tries to present the air of a confident man. He claimed here in Miami that he can absorb the fluctuations of a title fight, battle-hardened experience his unique ticket. But neither he nor us, as a watching public, can know that for certain.
As for Antonelli, if he were to secure the title he would by a distance be the youngest ever to do so (a 23-year-old Vettel holds the record). A marathon 18 races remain to be run, but it can be said for now that Antonelli is a remarkable prodigy.
He drove with maturity and assurance in Miami, his best F1 performance by some distance, and if a smidgeon of fortune fell his way in that McLaren – much improved by their upgrade package – pitted runner-up Lando Norris a lap too late, a marginal error the reigning world champion moaned and groaned about, he held the lead with aplomb lap after lap. Norris harried him but made no decisive attack. Antonelli drove indomitably.
There are shades in this intra-Mercedes fight of the McLaren tussle of 2007: Hamilton, the brilliant insurgent, against Alonso, the then double and reigning world champion. Just as Hamilton did, Antonelli is shaking the cage.
Jury out, but in Antonelli we may be witnessing a talent for the ages. I repeat, he is 19.
Just as Lewis Hamilton (right) did in his McLaren days, Antonelli is threatening to upset the established order of F1
Newey taken to hospital with pneumonia
Adrian Newey, universally regarded as Formula One’s greatest designer, has suffered a bout of pneumonia that required hospital treatment, I can reveal.
The 67-year-old technical director and co-owner of Aston Martin was not in Miami last weekend as he recovered from the illness that has beset him the last few weeks.
A well-placed source revealed that Newey is for now mostly working from home in the village of Sunninghill, Berkshire – with plenty of remedial miracles to accomplish after his ambitious team’s disastrous start to the season. Results so far show Fernando Alonso: retired, retired, 18th, 15th; and Lance Stroll: not classified, retired, retired, 17th. Points: nought.
Newey earns £20million a year and is the great hope on which owner Lawrence Stroll pins his aspiration to win the world title despite stepping down in March as team principal to concentrate on his specialism of technical expertise. His enforced absence was, therefore, keenly felt at a critical moment.
A spokesperson for Aston Martin said: ‘We don’t comment on personal matters relating to any of our team members. Adrian is working and was on campus last week.’
Adrian Newey (right) is the great hope on which Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll (left) pins his aspiration to win the world title
Happy birthday, Wattie
John Watson celebrates winning the 1981 British Grand Prix at Silverstone
John Watson turned 80 today. And I can reveal that the revered winner of the British Grand Prix of 1981 – who also distinguished himself by coming from further back on the grid to win a race than anyone in history, from 22nd at Long Beach in 1983 – is celebrating in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton.
Straight from the legend’s mouth, he is spending time at Estelle Manor, the country house and private members’ club in Oxfordshire where Hamilton courted Kim Kardashian in their recent ‘secret’ rendezvous.
Watson does not seek the limelight, but without breaking confidences I am reliably informed the new octogenarian is living it up in luxury there with his partner Lindsay. Last I heard, she was busily throwing logs on the fire in their palatial room.
Many happy returns to the irrepressible Wattie!
‘Early’ starts? Why stop there?
Formula One bosses deserve credit for taking the precaution of shunting the Miami race forward three hours from 4pm to 1pm to avoid the possibility, averted by the gods, of lightning strikes scuppering the event.
But a thought occurs. Why not schedule all day-time races to start earlier than 4pm? Either at 1pm or 2pm. Four in the afternoon in the States means a 9pm start in Britain and 10pm in Europe. That’s too late for maximum TV eyeballs in the sport’s traditional heartlands.
F1 bosses deserve credit for shunting the Miami race forward three hours from 4pm to 1pm to avoid the possibility, averted by the gods, of lightning strikes scuppering the event
I am told that various other considerations play into the embrace of later start times, a phenomenon that has advanced in the post-Bernie Ecclestone era. For example, the powers that be aim for an optimal gap among the plethora of other sports taking place in the US. On Sundays, most Major League Baseball games start at 1pm and thus are wrapped up by 4pm. Similar is true when the NFL returns towards the end of the F1 calendar.
My own instinct tells me that the underlying reason for later starts is that Liberty Media, the sport’s American owners, want the hosting fee they charge to be as large as possible and the quid pro quo of later starts is a fuller day of fans at the track, thus allowing race promoters to flog beer and burgers and ‘merch’ to keep the tills open for longer.
Night races are different, and the thrill of watching sport under lights is a captivating draw, the atmosphere accentuated. That scenario writes its own rules.
A final reflection on the topic. In the review of Jules Bianchi’s death in 2015 following a wet grand prix in Japan, it was determined that races should start earlier, to avoid the risk of delays allowing dusk to set in with all its inherent dangers of reduced visibility. That one-time priority, it seems, no longer holds sway.
