Kimi Antonelli rejects Helmut Marko's criticism of Mercedes decision

Kimi Antonelli has dismissed Helmut Marko’s claim that Mercedes put him under unnecessary pressure by placing him in a top team for his rookie Formula 1 season.

During the summer break, Red Bull advisor Marko took aim at Mercedes for “creating hype around a young driver before they have even driven an F1 car”, referring to the publicity generated around Antonelli while he was still competing in junior formulae.

Marko further criticised the Brackley-based squad for not providing the Italian the right environment to develop, contrasting its approach with the one adopted by Red Bull where every driver is trained at a second team.

While Antonelli admitted that starting his F1 career with a multiple title-winning team brought extra demands, he is convinced it was the right decision for him.

“Of course, starting straight away in a top team is not always easy, especially [because] racing for Mercedes is a massive privilege,” he told the media, including Crash.net.

“But at the same time, you need to deliver the job, so sometimes you can feel under a lot of pressure. But I'm really happy to have started in Mercedes.

“Obviously, I've had some rough times, but the team has always been very supportive, and I'm aware I haven't done the best of the jobs, especially at some point during the season, but this year is mainly to learn.

“Of course, the goal is always to go on track and win, but at the same time it's important to get ready for next year.

“Definitely, if I would race in a junior team, there definitely would be quite a bit less pressure, but I'm really happy to have started in a Mercedes because I can learn massively.”

Kimi Antonelli explains what caused his ‘downfall’

Antonelli’s stellar career in junior championships saw him being hailed as a generational talent, with some tipping him as the long-term successor to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.

The 19-year-old scored pole position in the sprint qualifying at Miami and finished on the podium in Canada to justify the hype surrounding him.

However, he has also been inconsistent and has found it tough to match the speed of his teammate George Russell, who has been one of the star performers of 2025.

Antonelli admitted he has sometimes struggled to cope with the weight of expectations in F1, but believes pressure can be a driving force in his career.

“Usually, I try to see pressure as not a bad thing,” he explained. “I always try to embrace the pressure because there's a very famous phrase that 'pressure is a privilege', and I fully agree with that. 

“It's pressure, you need to try to embrace it and even use it as a fuel to perform and to shine. 

“But obviously with the struggles, because I was struggling so much, I couldn't really handle the pressure that well. And that was a bit of a downfall for me.

“But, of course, when you're feeling good and you're feeling confident, then with the pressure you're able to deal with it much better.

“Canada was a good example of being under pressure in the race and also thanks to the team, I was able to stay calm and stay focused on what I had to achieve.”