Source:REUTERS/Yves Herman
[Saba Sports News] F1 commentator Martin Brundle openly criticized Mercedes’ decision to fast-track Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a 18-year-old Italian talent, into Formula 1 to replace the departing Lewis Hamilton. So far this season, Antonelli has only scored once in the past seven races, and his performance has been far less consistent than his teammate George Russell. In a column segment, Brundle said bluntly: “I really don’t understand why they haven’t given Antonelli a few more years to gain experience in a lower-key environment, just like Russell did at Williams.” Brundle believes that under the current high-pressure atmosphere of F1, young Antonelli is being pushed too quickly into the spotlight, and his poor results are only increasing his psychological pressure. If he weren’t with Mercedes, he would already be in danger of losing his seat at another team. This season, although Antonelli achieved a podium finish in Canada, he has performed poorly in other races. In the recent Belgian Grand Prix, he started from the pit lane and finished 16th.