Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has taken aim at Formula 1 rivals Mercedes for creating unnecessary “hype” around the team’s rookie driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The Italian teenager was handed his F1 debut this year, chosen by the German marque to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
Despite frequent glimpses of maturity amid some impressive performances, including a maiden podium in Canada, it has not been the easiest of debut campaigns.
Frequent issues with the Brackley-based squad’s W16 car have left Antonelli’s progress across the European leg of the season stagnating, leading to some disappointing results.
This has led the team to publicly back Antonelli, insisting that his inexperience in handling such a capricious car is part of the learning curve of being an F1 driver.
Marko believes this is partly down to Mercedes’ structure not having a B-team to quietly breed young talent, as Red Bull does with Racing Bulls.
“The difference, our juniors first drive for the Racing Bulls and aren’t immediately exposed to the pressure of F1,” he said.
“We also don’t create hype around a young driver before they’re in an F1 car.”
Why has Antonelli’s rookie campaign unravelled?
Antonelli’s lowest ebb was perhaps the Belgian Grand Prix, finishing outside the points, having failed to make it into Q2 in qualifying for both the Sprint and the main race.
Marko revealed a chance meeting with Antonelli over that weekend, and, like the Mercedes hierarchy, believes he needs time to rediscover his impressive early-season form.
“I mean, they [Mercedes] don’t have a junior team,” he reiterated. “Sure, I don’t want to comment on how things work with other teams.
“Antonelli is certainly a very fast driver, but also very young, and strangely enough, we spoke briefly at the hotel in Spa, and he said that he doesn’t have confidence in the car and as soon as he pushes, he loses control.
“So, it’s more a mental thing, and apparently the car is also very critical in the working window, similar to ours, and when it works, then it’s much more toxic.
“Kimi just needs to be given time to recover, just as [Liam] Lawson rediscovered his form with Racing Bulls. But thankfully, Mercedes doesn’t have the luxury of a second team.”
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