Kimi Antonelli wins again… but his starts are really starting to get on his nerves

Three pole positions. Three wins. A 20-point lead in the championship. On paper, Kimi Antonelli is having an absolutely incredible start to the season. And yet, the Mercedes driver is far from completely satisfied. Because behind the historic statistics and the trophies piling up, one problem continues to complicate his life every Sunday: his starts. And in Miami once again, the issue came up right from the very first few meters.

Just like in the Sprint the day before, where he lost six positions, Antonelli had a rough start from pole position. Surprised by Charles Leclerc's very early braking into the first corner, the Italian locked up his wheels and had to widen his line.

In the chaos caused just behind him by Verstappen's spin, he ultimately came out of it fairly well: he lost only one position.

A lesser evil… but not a source of satisfaction.

“To be honest, today wasn't that bad,” he admitted after the race, almost sarcastically. “I think I lost two places, six in the sprint, so that's a little better.”

The problem is that in Formula 1, “less bad” isn't usually a career goal.

An Achilles' heel in a season that remains extremely tight

Antonelli knows this: in a season where McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull are now separated by just a few tenths of a second, every detail counts.

And losing positions the moment the lights go out is becoming a luxury he can no longer really afford.

“No, it's still not acceptable. I think that, especially on a weekend like this one, where the gaps are much smaller, it can really make a difference.”

In Miami, it didn't cost him the win. But in Japan, the scenario was much more drastic: from pole to sixth place on the very first lap. In China, Hamilton also stole a position from him at the start. And in Australia, he had already dropped back despite starting on the front row.

In short, this is starting to become a recurring theme.

Mercedes also in the crosshairs

And Antonelli refuses to bear the weight of the problem alone. At Mercedes, Toto Wolff had already acknowledged after the Sprint that there was a technical issue on the team's side regarding the start procedures.

The Italian driver also emphasizes this collective aspect.

“So I think this is an area where we, along with the team, need to look into the issue, because yesterday, for example, during the Sprint, the procedure was fine, but the level of grip we thought we'd have just wasn't there.”

In other words: the driver does what he can… but the car doesn't always give him the right response.

Antonelli acknowledges, however, that not everything is Mercedes' fault. He himself is still in a learning phase in an extremely delicate process.

“I think that's also the case for the team, but especially for me, because I'm still a bit inconsistent, particularly when it comes to releasing the clutch.”

And perhaps the most interesting part is this: despite his victories, despite his lead in the championship, Antonelli still speaks like a rookie aware of his limitations.

“I still don't have that confidence, nor that consistency. I still have some uncertainty, so that's an important area to improve.”

A level of honesty rare enough in F1 to be worth noting.

A maturity that's already impressive

What stands out most in Miami is his ability to keep his cool.

The day before, during the Sprint, his frustration was evident. On Sunday, despite another difficult start and constant pressure from Norris behind him, Antonelli remained calm. Collected. Methodical.

And he sensed that, too.

“But I think I handled the situation better today than yesterday. Yesterday I was very frustrated, and today I managed to stay a little calmer, handle the situation better, and focus on the race.”

That may be the most impressive part. Because deep down, Antonelli is already winning like a champion… even though he himself feels he hasn't yet fully mastered the basics.