The youngest driver on the grid on the Australian Grand Prix confronted excessive expectations in addition to troublesome circumstances on his debut.
Mercedes had nurtured Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s profession for years. However whereas his group mate George Russell acquired to make his Components 1 debut within the comparatively low-pressure atmosphere of Williams, Antonelli was thrust straight into the highest group, within the seat beforehand occupied by no much less a expertise than Lewis Hamilton.
Thrust into the highlight, Antonelli stumbled in qualifying, damaging his profession and dropping out in Q1. That left him close to the again of the grid.
The foul circumstances which greeted the groups on Sunday, after 48 hours of wonderful climate, have been hardly very best for Antonelli or any of the opposite rookies. Nevertheless he had the advantage of a protracted testing programme in Mercedes’ F1 vehicles, a few of which came about in equally moist circumstances.
Antonelli was nicely ready, and although his race wasn’t flawless, he produced an outstanding drive to complete fourth. Right here’s how he did it.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Australian Grand Prix radio transcript
Bounce to:
“Proper-hand facet?”“I had a second”“Hulkenberg is doing burn-outs into the pit lane”“I like that”“That was a wheel on the grass”“Has DRS been disabled?”“Alonso crashed”“Do you assume we are able to have HPP 12?”“Take it straightforward on this restart”“Mate, he’s defending!”“I didn’t press it”“Good job”“You’re the solely rookie that saved it on the street”
“Proper-hand facet?”
Antonelli lined up sixteenth on the grid, having been eradicated from qualifying the day earlier than. The unique try to begin the race was deserted after Isack Hadjar crashed.
Forward of the second try to begin the race, Bonnington reminded Antonelli there could be some empty spots on the grid, and to make sure to line up within the right one. Antonelli noticed his mistake in figuring out which facet of the grid he ought to begin from.
Lap: 1/57 ANT: 2’22.352
Bonnington
Preliminary clutch goal drop was on track, then fed in deep. Okay Kimi, so we’re going to chill the decision automotive flip 11, so coasting flip 11.
Bonnington
And it’ll be three burn-outs, three burn-outs. There’s a few vehicles lacking from the grid, simply search for your title, left-hand facet.
Antonelli
Proper-hand facet?
Bonnington
Sorry, the board is on the left-hand facet. The board is on the left-hand facet. Try to be on the best.
Bonnington
So set your b-bal, b-mig [brake balance, brake migration] after which strat mode 5, final automotive in place.
“I had a second”
When the race lastly began, Jack Doohan misplaced management of his automotive on the exit of flip 5 and crashed out. Antonelli got here very shut to creating the identical error, catching an enormous slide as he accelerated out of the nook.
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Bonnington
So now we have Security Automobile, Security Automobile, preserve the delta optimistic. So we’re staying out, brake magic on, delta. Strat mode one.
Antonelli
Antonelli catches an enormous snap of oversteer on the exit of flip fiveFuck, I had a second.
Bonnington
Okay, copy. Doohan crashed between 5 and 6. Simply keep on high of the temps.
Lap: 2/57 ANT: 2’49.800
Bonnington
Simply 10 automotive lengths as soon as we’re into the pack. Security Automobile is at flip 5 for the time being. Doohan crashed on the left-hand facet so the particles anticipated to be on left-hand facet. Sainz has simply gone off, last nook.
Antonelli
Yeah, copy, noticed that.
Bonnington
Okay, so the Security Automobile will likely be coming by the pit lane, so we’ll comply with that. Simply keep in mind once you’re coming by the pit lane, you’re staying within the quick lane and utilizing the pit limiter. So simply keep on high of these temps as finest you’ll be able to, however simply watch out. We’ve had a few vehicles off already. Sainz [was] simply making an attempt to get temp. So that you’ll be coming by the pit lane and reminder for pit limiter.
Antonelli
Copy that.
Bonnington
Staying within the quick lane, driving by. Simply watch the white line on exit. Nonetheless recovering Doohan’s automotive.
Lap: 3/57 ANT: 2’44.755
Bonnington
We’ll be by the pit lane once more. So by the pit lane, and keep in mind pit limiter once more. From the replays appears to be like like Doohan misplaced it on straight simply by placing a wheel on the white traces. Simply watch painted traces
Antonelli
Yeah, I nearly did the identical, so yeah, they’re fairly slippery.
Bonnington
Okay, good man.
“Hulkenberg is doing burn-outs into the pit lane”
Though Antonelli was now as much as thirteenth he had misplaced a place to Nico Hulkenberg. He suspected the Sauber driver had damaged a rule within the pit lane, and suggested his group, however his rival was not investigated.
Lap: 4/57 ANT: 2’34.598
Antonelli
Uh, Hulkenberg is doing burn-outs into the pit lane.
Bonnington
Okay, copy. So restoration automobile on monitor, restoration automobile. So a bit extra brake magic if we are able to have it. Simply try to get that temp.
Antonelli
How can I assist rears?
Bonnington
Yeah, we’ve acquired that turned up already, so the remainder is in your management. So by the pit lane once more, and once more, pit limiter.
Antonelli
If it doesn’t rain once more, it’s going to be drying.
Bonnington
Okay, copy. No rain on the forecast for the subsequent 20, half-hour. Once more, white line on exit.
Lap: 5/57 ANT: 2’19.163
Bonnington
Restoration automobile, appears to be like prefer it’s nonetheless on monitor.
Bonnington
So this time the Security Automobile will use the start-finish straight. So we’ll keep out.
Bonnington
So staying out, staying out. In order that restoration automobile that ought to have moved, it’s simply parking up now I feel, it’s round flip eight, 9. So, restoration automobile, you’re about to go previous. Kimi, can now we have HPP three place three, three place three. So the Security Automobile goes to be in finish of this lap. Temps have been constructing slowly now.
Lap: 7/57 ANT: 2’03.412
Bonnington
So for the restart, it will likely be strat mode 5, I’ll let you understand. So let’s go strat mode 5 now. Strat mode 5. Simply ensure you’ve acquired your B-bal set. The race restarts
Bonnington
Ignore the oxidation warnings, ignore oxidation warnings. And may now we have HPP 12 place two, 12 place two.
Lap: 9/57 ANT: 1’36.312
Bonnington
HPP 12 place one, 12 place one.
“I like that”
Antonelli made some progress as soon as the race restarted, passing Hulkenberg.
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Lap: 10/57 ANT: 1’35.270
Bonnington
And funky the left-hand facet tyres the place you’ll be able to.
Lap: 11/57 ANT: 1’34.678
Antonelli
I begin to really feel the overheating.
Lap: 12/57 ANT: 1’35.385
Bonnington
So simply search for water the place you’ll be able to. DRS has been enabled.
Bonnington
Kimi can now we have chassis default 19, chassis one-nine.
Lap: 14/57 ANT: 1’33.802
Bonnington
Simply search for the moist patches the place you’ll be able to.
Bonnington
Antonelli passes Hulkenberg into flip 11Nice work, Kimi, I like that! Okay, Hulkerberg 0.9 behind, acquired Stroll three forward. There could also be mild rain now. Stroll forward was a 33.1, front-runners have been doing 30.8.
“That was a wheel on the grass”
Nevertheless quickly afterwards he spun off at flip 4 and fell again behind Hulkenberg. Bonnington made positive he understood his error.
Lap: 15/57 ANT: 1’32.212
Bonnington
Counsel arising on diff mid, one or two steps. Nonetheless discover the water, search for the water.Antonelli spins at flip 4, will get going once more however loses a spot to Hulkenberg.
Lap: 16/57 ANT: 1’37.326
Bonnington
So Bortoleto 0.9 behind.
Bonnington
So Kimi that was a wheel on the grass, so simply watch out.
Lap: 17/57 ANT: 1’32.312
Bonnington
So now we have a Stroll forward at six-and-a-half seconds. Final lap was a 33.8.
Lap: 18/57 ANT: 1’32.181
Bonnington
The rain is choosing up. And we go strat mode seven, strat mode.
Lap: 20/57 ANT: 1’31.319
Bonnington
So this rain will persist for one more eight to 10 minutes.
Antonelli
How is the tempo?
Bonnington
Entrance runners are mid-30, George doing 32.2. So Stroll forward at 2.8, final lap at 32.6.
Lap: 21/57 ANT: 1’31.042
Bonnington
Okay Kimi, we noticed diff high-speed change, diff mid would even be efficient plus two, diff mid plus two.
“Has DRS been disabled?”
Antonelli regained his place from Hulkenberg and handed Lance Stroll as nicely, leaving him one place exterior the factors. Subsequent he utilized stress to the opposite Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, spending a number of laps inside DRS vary, then slipping again barely.
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Lap: 22/57 ANT: 1’31.887
Bonnington
Antonelli passes Stroll at flip 11Strat mode six, good work mate. We’ve acquired Alonso four-and-a-half seconds forward.
Lap: 23/57 ANT: 1’31.324
Bonnington
And Kimi can now we have HPP three place two, three place two.
Lap: 24/57 ANT: 1’30.822
Bonnington
Alonso at 32.5, hole at 3.4.
Lap: 26/57 ANT: 1’31.299
Bonnington
So Alonso forward, 31.7.
Lap: 27/57 ANT: 1’30.463
Antonelli
Has DRS been disabled?
Bonnington
Detrimental, that hole is at 1.1.
Bonnington
And take into consideration magic for flip 13 understeer.
Lap: 30/57 ANT: 1’29.794
Antonelli
I’m battling overheating.
Bonnington
Okay, copy Kimi. Simply take into consideration pulling again the entry, give attention to the exit.
Bonnington
And simply take into consideration cooling the tyres the place you’ll be able to, driving offline. I’m positive you’re doing as a lot as you’ll be able to. You’ll be able to take into consideration simply pushing a b-bal forwards a little bit, simply to assist the rears.
“Alonso crashed”

Alonso pulled two seconds away from Antonelli, then crashed closely on the exit of flip six. This triggered a Security Automobile deployment which Mercedes, like their rivals, reacted to instantly by bringing their driver in for slick tyres.
Lap: 32/57 ANT: 1’29.032
Bonnington
Simply begin opening up your diff with the understeer.
Bonnington
And Kimi, how removed from slicks do you assume it’s?
Lap: 33/57 ANT: 1’52.635
Antonelli
Nonetheless a bit far.
Bonnington
Copy that, Kimi.
Antonelli
Alonso spins right into a barrier in entrance of AntonelliAlonso crashed.
Bonnington
Copy, copy. You’re in your Security Automobile window for slick tyres.
Antonelli
What the others are doing?
Bonnington
We don’t know but. So Security Automobile, Security Automobile. Hold the delta optimistic. So strat mode one and field, field. So we’re going to go to slicks. Thanks for pit verify.
Bonnington
Antonelli leaves his pit field. The stewards initially deemed Mercedes launched him unsafely in entrance of Hulkenberg and gave him a five-second time penalty, however cancelled their resolution after the raceMenu moist place one, so menu moist place one. And also you’re pushing right down to Security Automobile [line] two. So simply watch out with these tyres, we’re simply going to want to construct some temp.
“Do you assume we are able to have HPP 12?”
In his first race, Antonelli appeared assured sufficient with Mercedes’ methods to counsel change modifications earlier than Bonnington suggested him to make them.
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Lap: 34/57 ANT: 2’22.596
Antonelli
Do you assume we are able to have HPP 12?
Bonnington
I used to be about to say, in the event you go HPP 12, place 4. Use your brake magic so that you’ve acquired that on.
Bonnington
Can now we have HPP seven place three, seven place three.
Bonnington
The Security Automobile didn’t decide up the chief when it joined the monitor. Antonelli and different drivers have been waved previous it after they handed the crash sceneOkay Kimi you’re at present sitting in P10. So simply being waved by.
Lap: 35/57 ANT: 1’44.670
Bonnington
He approaches the crash sceneSo Alonso nonetheless parked there.
Lap: 36/57 ANT: 1’41.655
Antonelli
Do you assume I can change the HPP 12 off, or nonetheless preserve it on?
Bonnington
So down to 2. Okay Kimi now we have marshals on monitor flip six, seven sorting the gravel after which a restoration automobile at flip eight. So search for marshals and restoration automobile. So the Security Automobile is between turns 10 and 11.
Lap: 37/57 ANT: 2’07.298
Bonnington
So that you’re becoming a member of the pack now. So possibly we take into consideration coming again up on HPP 12, place 4.
Antonelli
Uh, you need me to change that off?
Bonnington
Yeah you go 12 place 4. And there’s a chance of rain later within the race.
Lap: 38/57 ANT: 2’19.681
Bonnington
Double yellow.
Lap: 39/57 ANT: 2’11.642
Bonnington
And possibly some mild rain within the final sector, so 11 to 13.
“Take it straightforward on this restart”
As drivers ready for the restart on slick tyres, Bonnington reminded Antonelli to not repeat his earlier error. Shortly afterwards the rain returned, Antonelli handed Leclerc’s spun Ferrari and instantly headed again into the pits for intermediates.
Lap: 40/57 ANT: 2’09.615
Bonnington
Kimi, simply take it straightforward on this restart, simply utilizing all of the monitor, there’s nonetheless numerous water on the market, so it’s a decent line.
Antonelli
Yeah, copy that.
Lap: 41/57 ANT: 2’06.220
Bonnington
So Security Automobile’s going to be on this lap.
Antonelli
Copy.
Bonnington
So you’ll be able to return on HPP 12. So HPP 12 place one. So it’ll be strat mode 5, strat mode 5. Security Automobile at flip 12.
Lap: 42/57 ANT: 1’27.505
Bonnington
The race restartsIt feels just like the wind is choosing up. And light-weight rain in two to a few minutes.
Bonnington
DRS has been enabled. That rain goes to hit us quickly. The rain might get fairly intense.
Lap: 44/57 ANT: 1’48.276
Bonnington
And anticipating that rain to extend, so tell us what you see.
Bonnington
Field, field. Field, field. Field, field. Field, field. After which moist place three, moist place three.>Russell forward and Stroll behind additionally pit. Antonelli is briefly delayed behind his group mate which permits Stroll to get again in entrance of him by the pits
Lap: 45/57 ANT: 1’35.593
Bonnington
This rain goes to construct for 2 to a few minutes.
“Mate, he’s defending!”
Antonelli repassed Stroll, then caught Oliver Bearman, now driving for Haas, who was a lap down. To Antonelli’s frustration Bearman moved in the direction of the within line as he gained on him approaching flip three.
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Lap: 46/57 ANT: 1’30.780
Bonnington
Antonelli passes Stroll on the skin approaching flip nineNice work, mate. This final sector appears to be like moist. Bearman forward is site visitors, so he has blue flags. Search for the water as a lot as you’ll be able to. Bearman has blue flags.
Lap: 47/57 ANT: 2’05.750
Antonelli
Mate, he’s defending!
Antonelli
So Security Automobile, Security Automobile, no overtaking. So preserve delta optimistic.
Antonelli
Mate, they’re defending on me, I don’t know?
Bonnington
Yeah, simply keep in place now, however yeah, we’re on to them. We’ve additionally acquired Lawson off. So Bortoleto off at flip 13, Lawson off flip two. And we’ve acquired HPP 12 place 4, 12 place 4. We’ll go strat mode one.
Lap: 48/57 ANT: 1’58.429
Bonnington
Kimi, no extra rain anticipated.
Bonnington
So Security Automobile between turns 10 and 11.
Lap: 49/57 ANT: 2’24.964
Bonnington
Simply make these temps as finest you’ll be able to, mate. So lapped vehicles might now overtake, in order that’s going to imply Bearman will get out of our approach.
“I didn’t press it”

There was some temporary confusion when Bonnington noticed a ‘pit verify’ sign from Antonelli’s automotive when he was not supposed to come back in.
Lap: 50/57 ANT: 2’20.284
Bonnington
Bonnington will get the ‘pit verify’ sign from Antonelli’s carI’m undecided that was a deliberate pit verify there.
Antonelli
Nicely, I didn’t press it.
Bonnington
Okay, don’t fear about it
Antonelli
How can I reset it?
Bonnington
It would reset over the road, don’t fear. Okay Kimi so a automotive forward, Albon. And also you’ve acquired Stroll, Hulkenberg, Gasly, vehicles behind everybody on the inter. So not anticipating any extra rain.
Lap: 51/57 ANT: 2’12.971
Bonnington
So the Security Automobile will likely be on this lap.
Antonelli
Copy.
Bonnington
So HPP 12, place one.
Antonelli
You positive?
Bonnington
You’ll be able to preserve it in the event you assume you want it. Yeah, set it to 2, that’ll be wonderful. So there’ll be six laps remaining once you cross the road.
Bonnington
So strat mode 5, strat mode 5 and give attention to this restart.
Bonnington
So hole 1.0 forward, 2.1 behind.
Lap: 52/57 ANT: 1’35.008
Bonnington
And wind is getting gusty.
Bonnington
And it’ll be 4 laps remaining.
“Good job”
By pitting for intermediates earlier than others, Antonelli moved as much as fifth place. After the ultimate restart he gained one other place by passing Alexander Albon.
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Lap: 54/57 ANT: 1’30.562
Bonnington
Antonelli closes on AlbonDRS has been enabled, hole forward 0.5.
Lap: 55/57 ANT: 1’30.602
Bonnington
And also you do have overtake obtainable.
Lap: 56/57 ANT: 1’28.149
Bonnington
You’ve acquired two laps remaining.
Bonnington
Kimi simply keep in mind to drag again the entry for higher exits.
Bonnington
Antonelli passes Albon on the skin heading into flip nineYes, mate. Good job.
Bonnington
Another lap.
Lap: 57/57 ANT: 1’28.650
Bonnington
Use overtake on this straight, we’ll preserve pushing.
Bonnington
Hold pushing to the road, mate.
“You’re the solely rookie that saved it on the street”
Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff got here on Antonelli’s radio on the finish of the race to congratulate him on a profitable debut.
A number of laps earlier the stewards had issued a five-second time penalty to Antonelli. Mercedes didn’t distract him with the knowledge throughout the race and waited till afterwards to let him know.
Nevertheless after the race completed Mercedes efficiently petitioned the stewards to cancel Antonelli’s penalty. He was due to this fact restored to an outstanding fourth place on his debut.
Chequered flag
Bonnington
Good work, Kimi. That was an ideal drive. That’s P4 on the street. Sadly they’ve given us a five-second penalty so it’s bumped us to P5. 5-second penalty was an unsafe launch however you probably did an ideal job at present.
Antonelli
Oh man, fuck, that was shut. Woah, what a race!
Bonnington
Yeah, mega, mega job at present, mate. Not dangerous on your first go. And yeah, a few of these overtakes have been fairly candy. Are you able to go strat mode 14 after which HPP one, place 12. And we’ll go strat mode one, strat mode one.
Wolff
Kimi first one. Actually actually good. Actually actually good, what a consequence. You’re the solely rookie that saved it on the street and we ended up with a P5, that’s mega.
Bonnington
Thanks Toto, thanks everybody, it was a superb weekend, thanks everybody.
Bonnington
Yeah it’s a superb first crack, mate. Into the pit lane after which simply pull up the place they direct you to. High three vehicles will go down the tip. After which once you get out of the automotive, change the engine off after which change P1 off as nicely. We’ll see you in a bit.
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