Antonelli joined the Formula 1 grid this season after being promoted directly from Formula 2, with Mercedes placing him alongside George Russell after Lewis Hamilton’s departure.
The Italian started the year with steady points finishes but endured a sharp dip in form after the team introduced a new suspension package.
The 19-year-old struggled to adapt while results suffered, and he often failed to score during that period.
“For sure, many times,” Antonelli said when asked if he doubted himself. “Since we went on the new suspension, I struggled quite a lot, especially to adapt.
“George, on the other hand, despite that we lost performance with the new suspension, was able to adapt. I struggled quite a lot more, and I entered this negative spiral where it felt like it kept getting worse and worse, and frustration was just taking over.”
Antonelli described the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps as the lowest point of his season. He exited in Q1 and was unable to recover into the points on race day.
“I think my darkest moment was Spa,” he said. “I definitely doubted myself a lot, because when the results are not coming, you start to ask yourself if you are good enough.”
Mercedes responded by holding extensive internal meetings after the Italian Grand Prix, with the teams focusing on resetting Antonelli’s mindset and refining his approach. Team principal Toto Wolff and Russell both offered public backing during that period, acknowledging the difficulty of the car and the pressure on a rookie driver.
“It wasn’t easy,” Antonelli said. “That’s why I did a big meeting with the team after Monza. I did a big reset mentally and tried to refocus on the important stuff, on the process, and that really helped.”
The response paid off. Antonelli returned to consistent points finishes and ended the season with back-to-back podiums, finishing second in Sao Paulo and third in Las Vegas. He closed his debut campaign seventh in the drivers’ standings.
“That was a big learning,” Antonelli said.
Mercedes have already confirmed Antonelli will remain with the teams for the 2026 season, confident that his difficult rookie moments have accelerated his development rather than slowed it.
