Formula 1 pilot returned to the wheel of Mercedes before the season started

Italian driver Kimi Antonelli is preparing for his second season in Formula 1.

Antonelli finished his first season in seventh place in the Drivers’ Championship and achieved the first three podiums of his career. The exception was the mid-season period when he only picked up points in three out of ten matches, but overall the Italian made a strong impression on the team and proved that he could perform well alongside teammate George Russell.

Russell and Antonelli hope that Mercedes will be able to offer a car that can regularly compete for victories in 2026 as new rules come into force in Formula 1. Rumor has it that Mercedes has the best chance of adapting to the changes, as it did with the arrival of the hybrid era in 2014.

Antonelli had already undergone a seat fitting procedure and tested the new W17 car before the start of the season. “It feels a little tighter than the previous car,” he said in a YouTube video, referring to the smaller, narrower cars that will feature in Formula One next year.

In 2026, there will be significant changes in the design of cars: Cars will be 30 kg lighter, the wheelbase will be shortened by 20 cm and the width of the car will decrease by 10 cm.