“The Kimi of 2026 is more prepared.”
It’s been just over seven weeks since the chequered flag fell in Abu Dhabi to bring the curtain on the 2025 F1 season, but there’s been very little ‘off’ about Kimi Antonelli’s off season.
With the pre-campaign shakedown getting underway in Barcelona, we caught up with the 19-year-old as he prepares for his second year on the grid.
For any top-level athlete, there is a wafer-thin line between success and failure, and it quite often comes down to the space between the ears.
“I used the break to reflect on the season just gone,” said Kimi.
“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.”
So, why is that? How will the last 12 months be different to the previous 12? Here’s Kimi to explain.
“Looking at the calendar, we will try and maximise the days at home to recharge and avoid extra travelling,” he said.
“We want to make sure I am always at 100% energy to maximise 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.”
And where better to prepare for the more gruelling Grands Prix than the Sunshine State.
“I went to Florida at the start of the yea, to the IMG Academy with team partner Gatorade,” said Kimi.
“It was really cool, it is an incredible facility to train at, and I really enjoyed my time there. I got to know the people from Gatorade and got to do some activities with them too.”
Don’t worry, though, there was of course time for the young Italian to switch off over the winter, despite the off-season being shorter than in recent years as F1 prepares to a new set of regulations in 2026.
“I moved into a new house in San Marino, which was really nice. I spent time with family and ate a lot of food from my grandmother and my aunt,” said Kimi.
As a racing driver, though, your mind never wanders too far from thoughts of life on track, even in early January.
“It was nice to be at home, but I really loved the build up to everything, too.
“Coming back to the factory, seeing the car come together, getting on track at Silverstone and then coming to Barcelona. It’s all been really, really cool.”
And what about the answer to the question on everyone’s lips? How was the W17….
“The car feels nice, we still have a lot of running and learning to do, but it was good to see it out on track. All the cars look really nice and they are quick,” said Kimi.
“I don’t think the gaps on the grid will be as big as people think, we will have some close fights.
“It will take time for everyone to understand, particularly with the battery management, but once we start racing it will all get very exciting.”
While many things have changed for 2026, some things will stay the same. He may no longer be an F1 rookie, but don’t expect Kimi’s colourful character to change just yet.
“I’m still planning to celebrate birthdays in the team, but I’m not going to do the cake [to the face] this year, though.
“I have a plan for Bono, but I need to buy a water gun!”
And the goals for the year ahead? Well, anything is possible….
“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 take us,” said Kimi.