Kimi Antonelli has "frightened himself" under the pressure of the F1 championship, according to Naomi Schiff.
Current championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli is feeling the pressure, having "spooked himself," and needs to "clear his mind" to prevent faltering in the intense Formula 1 battle, as noted by analyst Naomi Schiff.
The Mercedes competitor entered the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a substantial 81-point cushion. However, that lead shrank to 66 points after teammate George Russell transformed pole position into a race victory, while Antonelli finished in fifth place after starting from 16th on the grid.
During the Up To Speed podcast, former W Series racer and Sky Sports F1 analyst Schiff expressed concern that the Italian driver's demeanor in Baku indicated he was beginning to feel the strain of his first championship contest.
"It appeared to me when observing Kimi on the track this weekend, not just the error he made [in qualifying], but his overall attitude on track, that he seemed like a driver competing for the championship who has perhaps overthought things," Schiff articulated.
"He seems a bit tense in the car because he’s afraid of making a mistake, and that's not the ideal mindset to have."
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
She continued: "He really needs to clear his mind. We've seen similar situations before. Last season, he was often caught up in his thoughts too. He managed to regain control and began driving with more freedom. He entered the start of this season as a transformed driver.
"I genuinely hope he doesn't allow himself to get too anxious about this because it's so easy to do. This sport is highly psychological, and once you start overthinking, you tend to attract those worries. So I hope he can liberate himself."
Despite a challenging weekend in Baku, Antonelli maintains a 66-point advantage in the drivers' championship over his teammate Russell, who is in second place.
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