Kimi Antonelli Addresses C6 Tyre Challenges Ahead of Canadian GP

Kimi Antonelli, a promising young driver for Mercedes, has publicly addressed the struggles he encountered during the recent triple header of Formula 1 races, attributing many of his performance issues to difficulties with the new C6 tyre introduced by Pirelli. The Italian driver, who enjoyed a favorable start to his rookie season—collecting points in five of the first six races—reported a stark contrast in performance from the Imola race onwards, where the new tyre compound was implemented as the soft option.

The C6 tyre, described by Antonelli as 'super picky', has proven challenging for drivers to manage effectively, particularly during qualifying sessions. According to Antonelli, the variability in performance from session to session has left him struggling to find a consistent rhythm. "In Imola, I remember we were up there in FP3, and then in Qualifying, I suddenly lost five or six tenths compared to FP3," he stated. The significant drop in performance not only affected his race outcomes but also impacted his confidence as a driver.

Reflecting on his recent experiences, Antonelli noted, "It’s been quite a tough triple header on my side, especially because performance-wise I didn’t do that well, and then we had also a couple of issues." His challenges culminated in a retirement at his home race due to mechanical issues, followed by a disappointing finish in Monaco, where he ended P18 after hitting the barriers during qualifying.

As he prepares for the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, Antonelli has taken proactive steps to overcome his C6 tyre difficulties. He spent time at the Mercedes factory analyzing data and simulating different scenarios to better understand the tyre's performance characteristics. "During the week we had off, I spent a couple of days at the factory doing some sim work and also trying to analyse the C6—analyse when it went well, why I was able to extract the performance, and when it went badly, what I did differently," Antonelli explained.

The 18-year-old driver is optimistic about his upcoming performance, noting that the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve presents a different set of challenges than previous tracks. "Montreal is a completely different track—close tarmac, a lot of low speed, and also quite cold eventually. So I’ve been trying to really work on that in order to have a better idea, so I know how to behave better, especially this weekend," he concluded.

Antonelli's experience highlights the ongoing challenges drivers face with new tyre compounds and the critical role of adaptability and analysis in achieving competitive performance in Formula 1. As the Canadian GP approaches, all eyes will be on how Antonelli and his team address these challenges on race day.