Kimi Antonelli did sessions with psychologist to prepare for 2026 Formula 1 season

What was apparent from Antonelli's rookie season with Mercedes was that he had an abundance of talent but lacked the experience to deal with all the pressure that comes with the job of being an F1 driver.

However, he showed improvement as the 2025 season progressed and impressively managed three podiums.

After testing Mercedes' W17 in Barcelona, Antonelli claimed he is better prepared to tackle the 2026 F1 season, amid early signs that his team's car may be the pacesetter.

“I used the break to reflect on the season just gone,” he said. “I did a few sessions with my psychologist; we looked back and understood what went well and what went wrong in 2025, and that helped to set some goals for this year.

"The Kimi of 2026 is more prepared," the 19-year-old claimed and went on to explain his new approach, saying: "Looking at the calendar, we will try and maximize the days at home to recharge and avoid extra travelling. We want to make sure I am always at 100% energy to maximize my performance in the car.

“A lot of that will come from the cardio side; we are happy with the strength, but now we want to start working on the cardio; it will really help in those hotter races," Antonelli explained.

And when asked about his targets for the upcoming season, Antonelli responded: “I would be happy if in December 2026 I was always able to give 100% this year and say that I got everything out of it by staying disciplined.

“I want to keep growing as a person this year; that’s the ultimate goal. We’ll have to see where that takes us," he concluded. (Source: Mercedes Official Website)