© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Here is the transcript of the post 2026 Japanese Grand Prix track interviews and press conference featuring Kimi Antonelli!
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Damon Hill)
Q: Kimi Antonelli, congratulations. You are officially the youngest ever person to lead a Formula 1 World Championship. Do you have anything to say?
Kimi ANTONELLI: It feels pretty good. Of course, it’s too early to think about the championship, but we’re on the good way. I mean, in the race, I had a terrible start. Just need to check what happened. But then I was lucky with the Safety Car to be in the lead. But then the pace was just incredible and, you know, it was a really nice second stint. I felt very good with the car and very pleased with that.
Q: Yeah, because the man next to you, Oscar, there, he swamped you at the start. You made a bad start, you said to Toto, apparently, you’re going to practice your clutches.
KA: Yeah, I mean, luckily, I’ve got three weeks, so now I can practice some clutch drops just to get a better feel with it, because definitely it’s been a weak point so far this year and you need to improve that because you can easily win or lose races with that.
Q: But you were working way back up through the field anyway, weren’t you? And then the Safety Car came out, which really handed you the lead, but after that you looked absolutely masterful, totally in control.
KA: Yeah, I think obviously we were very lucky with Safety Car, but on the Medium, we were really strong once I got some free air, and then on the Hard the pace was just incredible. I don’t know what would have happened, how the outcome would have been, without the Safety Car, but yeah, it definitely made my life a lot easier.
Q: Well done. Kimi, we’ve a little bit of a gap and you’re going to practise your clutches, but this is it, you won in Suzuka, one of the great tracks on the—have you got a few words to say for the Japanese fans?
KA: Yeah, I mean, really happy to have won such a special track in front of these amazing fans. I think, you know, driving and racing here is a unique experience and yeah, really, really looking forward to come back next year. Arigato.
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PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Kimi, race win number two for you, and at one of the great racetracks in the world as well. Just how sweet was this one for you?
KA: Yeah, it was nice to be back on the top step. Obviously, a very special win and a very special track. But, you know, on one side I’m very happy, but on the other side I’m a bit disappointed with how the start went. It’s an area where I need to work a lot, because it’s definitely not good enough and I’m just making my life a lot harder. So, definitely a lot of work to do still. But I was very lucky, of course, with the timing of the Safety Car, but yeah, then pace was very, very strong and really happy with that.
Q: What were your issues getting away from the line?
KA: Just, I think I dropped the clutch a bit too deep, deeper than what I should have, and obviously the tyres were also a bit colder, so obviously I went beyond the grip that was available and just lost a lot of places.
Q: You knew you had a quick car, so what were you thinking at the end of lap one when you were P6?
KA: I cannot say, but I was very mad.
Q: Did you think the win was still on at that point?
KA: Probably. I think it was a bit difficult to get by when I was behind Charles because we obviously had two completely different deployments and it was just hard to find the right place to overtake. Then he went back in the pit and then we improved a lot with the pace. And then obviously I was lucky with the Safety Car. But without the Safety Car, I don’t know how the outcome would have been. Definitely would have been a lot more difficult, but you never know.
Q: Now you’re the youngest ever leader of the Formula 1 World Championship and the first Italian to win back-to-back races since Alberto Ascari. How do you imagine this news will go down back home in Italy?
KA: I don’t know. I think we’ll find out pretty soon. But yeah, I’m not thinking too much about the championship. Of course it’s great, but it’s still a long way to go and need to keep raising the bar because, you know, George is very quick and for sure he’s going to be back at his usual level, and also competitors eventually they will get closer. I think we need to keep our head down and keep raising the bar.
Q: Final one from me. We’ve got five weeks until the next race. Mercedes has won every race so far this year. Is there one area of car performance that you’d like to see the team work on between now and Miami?
KA: Difficult. I think our car is very good. For sure, maybe with the start, but I think… I mean, today was completely my fault. But together, me and George, we’ve been struggling a bit more than what we would have anticipated since the start of the season, and today the McLaren got a really good start, so they’re clearly doing something better, for sure also on driver input. In this case Oscar did much better than me because… I cannot say, but I ‘effed’ it up pretty badly. But yeah, I just need to keep working on that area.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Laurence Edmondson – ESPN) Question to all three drivers. We saw a very nasty accident today, Ollie Bearman, and I don’t know if you’ve seen it on replays, but it was basically due to the closing speed between the two cars. We know the drivers have raised this concern already. How important is it that something does change ahead of Miami? Does it matter if it’s at the cost of this racing that we’re seeing?
KA: I didn’t properly see what happened. I don’t know also if the guy in front… Did he move quite aggressively as well? I mean, yeah, this is a big thing for sure, but the FIA is already looking into how to improve for Miami, both in qualifying and race. So, let’s see what’s going to happen. But yeah, it’s very tricky, to be fair.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Kimi, I know earlier on you were saying that the championship is early days, but obviously Mercedes have won the first three races and you’ve got two, George has got one, so there’s a chance obviously that the winner of the championship could come from Mercedes. Are you ready for that rivalry with George, and are you worried at all that it could become a bit tense between the two of you?
KA: No, I’m not worrying about that, to be fair. I’m just going to focus on myself, on what I need to do, trying to get everything right in terms of procedure, starts, driving. I know how strong George is and for sure it’s going to be very hard. Plus, I think Ferrari and McLaren, they will get closer, so it’s going to be important to stay on top of the game, as I said before, keep raising the bar. But I’m not focusing on or worrying about this at the moment. Just obviously happy with how things went today, and yeah, just going to try to make the best out of the break and trying to see how I can improve those areas in order to be back stronger.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Kimi, picking up on wanting to raise the bar there, through your rookie season you went through some ups and downs and bounced back stronger for it. Just how much do you feel you’ve levelled up in terms of your performances this season? Obviously, the car does help, but how much have you taken that step in year two?
KA: Big step. Experience does a lot. Obviously last year I’ve gone through a lot and it taught me massively more than what I anticipated, and for sure it’s helping so far this year. Of course there’s still a lot of work to do, but I definitely feel much more in control of the situation. Of course, as you said, the car helps, and I’m going to try to be ready and everything because it’s one of those opportunities that don’t happen every day. So obviously, yeah, really, really grateful with the car that the team has provided us so far, and yeah, I just need to keep my head down.
Q: (Laurence Edmondson – ESPN) To follow up on that, Kimi, how do you feel like you’ve closed the gap to George? Is that what you feel? Because you said you thought he’s going to get back to his usual level soon, but do you feel like you have closed in? And how much of that is you both starting from scratch with this new regulation set rather than getting into a car that you’ve been essentially driving, that type of car, for three or four years?
KA: Yeah, for sure it helps that everyone started from zero. For sure it still helps, you know. But definitely I’ve been closing the gap with him. I think still in qualifying he has the upper hand, especially when it comes to Q3. He’s always able to find that little bit of extra, which I’m working on. But in terms of race pace, I think we have a really strong base. So yeah, I feel he’s obviously a super, super strong, very complete driver. I think he showed many times last year, and that’s why it’s not going to be easy, and that’s why I need to do everything as perfect as possible.
Source: FIA.com
