Andrea Kimi Antonelli Confused by Las Vegas Jump-Start Call, Secures Post-Race Podium

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the promising Mercedes rookie, expressed his bewilderment regarding the jump-start penalty incurred during the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, a sanction that ultimately preceded a dramatic post-race promotion to a provisional podium finish. The young Italian driver, who delivered a standout performance under the dazzling lights of the Strip, maintained that he "didn’t really feel" the marginal forward movement detected by race stewards, which triggered a five-second time penalty.

The incident occurred at the start of what proved to be a challenging and eventful race for Antonelli. Having qualified a disappointing 17th on a Friday session marked by inconsistent pace and tricky low-grip conditions on the newly configured street circuit, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team driver was already facing an uphill battle. The jump-start added another layer of complexity to his early race strategy. Race officials detected the slight movement before the five red lights extinguished, a transgression that, while seemingly minor, is strictly enforced in Formula 1 to ensure fair starts. The five-second penalty was subsequently applied during Antonelli’s sole pit stop on Lap 2, an early strategic gamble executed under a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. This timing was crucial, as it allowed the team to serve the penalty without significant time loss under green flag racing conditions, effectively mitigating its immediate impact on his track position.

Reflecting on the contentious start, Antonelli commented, "It was very tricky, I think. My suggestion is that I rolled a little bit, but I didn’t really feel it in the car, so I just need to review the onboard and understand what was the issue." This sentiment highlights the razor-thin margins and intense focus required at the race start, where fractions of a second and millimeters of movement can determine a penalty. The onboard footage and telemetry data, routinely reviewed by stewards, would have provided definitive evidence of the car’s movement relative to the grid slot.

Despite the early setback, Antonelli’s race craft and the Mercedes team’s strategic prowess shone through. Starting from 17th, his early pit stop under the VSC allowed him to switch to the hard compound tyres, embarking on an extraordinary 50-lap stint on a single set of rubber in the 52-lap race. This aggressive and unconventional one-stop strategy was a masterclass in tyre management, particularly challenging on the abrasive, low-temperature Las Vegas street circuit known for its unique demands on tyre wear and degradation.

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His remarkable pace on the durable hard tyres enabled him to undercut a significant portion of the field, leapfrogging competitors who opted for more conventional two-stop strategies or struggled with tyre longevity. Antonelli systematically climbed through the order, demonstrating exceptional control and consistency. Towards the latter stages of the race, he found himself locked in a compelling battle, successfully fending off strong challenges from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, positions he held commendably before his five-second penalty was factored into the final classification.

Initially, the application of his jump-start penalty saw Antonelli drop from an impressive fourth place to fifth in the provisional results, just 0.190 seconds behind Piastri. However, the post-race technical inspection delivered a seismic shift in the standings. Both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were subsequently disqualified due to a technical infringement related to their rear wing elements. This unforeseen development dramatically altered the final leaderboard, promoting Antonelli to the final podium spot – a third-place finish. While a monumental achievement for the rookie, the nature of the promotion meant he did not have the opportunity to experience the traditional podium ceremony.

Antonelli’s heroic tyre management was a significant talking point. When queried about his surprise at the longevity of the hard compound tyres, the Italian youngster admitted, "I was talking to the tyres the last 20 laps, every lap on the straight. I was just asking them to please hold on until the end." He further elaborated on the mid-race challenges: "I was a bit concerned with the graining halfway through the race, but eventually, once I was in free air, especially the last 10 laps – also thanks to some advice that I got from the team on driving – the graining started to clean up a little bit and we were able to just hold on." This candid insight underscores the mental and physical demands on an F1 driver, especially when pushing the limits of tyre performance. The team’s real-time advice on driving techniques to manage graining – a phenomenon where rubber fragments adhere to the tyre surface, reducing grip – proved critical in maintaining his pace and extending the life of his tyres. He concluded, "Actually, the time kept getting faster and faster, so I’m really happy with that. It was just a shame we started so far back, but that’s part of the learning."

Amidst his strong drive, Antonelli was also asked about potential team orders, specifically if he was intentionally backing up Piastri and Leclerc to aid his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who was ahead on track. His response was unequivocal: "No, no, no. To be fair, I was trying to do my race, and if I have to be really honest, I was trying to catch him as well. I was doing my race, I was just trying to maximise the result, because it was important to get good points for the team." He added, "Obviously, I don’t know whether it helped George, the fact that I kept those two behind, but I was just thinking about myself. I’m happy with the result, and I just need to keep going like this." This statement reinforces his competitive drive and focus on individual performance while acknowledging the broader team objectives of securing Constructors’ Championship points.

Antonelli’s performance in Las Vegas marks a significant upturn in his rookie season. He has now accumulated 71 points in the last six rounds, a stark contrast to the 66 points scored across the first 16 races of the season. This surge in form has seen him dramatically reduce his deficit to six-placed Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship, narrowing the gap from 49 points to just 15 points over the course of the previous two Grands Prix. This impressive statistical improvement underscores his rapid adaptation to Formula 1 and his growing confidence within the Mercedes machinery, positioning him as a driver of increasing importance for the team’s championship aspirations.

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Jonas Leo

Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.

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