For F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli, the secret to winning at the highest level of the sport may be surprisingly simple: stop trying so hard to win.
The Mercedes youngster has discovered that there is more to extracting the best from a racing car than raw speed, relentless focus and the pressure to deliver. Sometimes, the key is simply to enjoy the ride.
That shift in mindset has helped propel Antonelli to the top of the Formula 1 standings in his second season, with the 20-year-old leading the championship by 59 points after six victories and six further podium finishes.
It is a remarkable transformation from his rookie campaign, when flashes of extraordinary speed were mixed with the inevitable mistakes of a driver learning the ropes.
This time around, Antonelli has looked far more composed, consistently turning difficult situations into strong results and, crucially, appearing to race with a freedom that was sometimes missing in 2025.
Finding freedom behind the wheel
Antonelli credits advice from fellow sportspeople for helping him understand that success does not necessarily come from putting himself under ever greater pressure.
The message he has taken to heart is a simple one: "Always be yourself and be able to enjoy it as well.”
It sounds simple, but the young Italian believes embracing that philosophy has had a tangible impact on his driving. Instead of becoming consumed by the pursuit of perfection, he has learned that relaxation can actually bring him closer to the limit.
"When you understand that you also have to enjoy as well, it makes the difference, because it helps you to.... I feel like at least in my case... drive more relaxed, enjoy more the driving, feel more the car, and then the performance just comes much easier,” he said in an interview with F1.com.
"Instead of when you're like chasing it and you're driving tense, it's a big difference," he pointed out. "But of course, trying to be yourself and always focusing on the goal, and always also try to see the positive, even in the bad situation.
"Even when something goes bad, there's always a positive. That can be found and that can help you to grow," the Italian maintained.
That philosophy has already proved valuable during a season in which Antonelli has rarely appeared rattled.
Even when he has struggled to find the final few tenths or made a small error, he has generally recovered quickly – his third-place finish in Hungary and runner-up result at Zandvoort providing prime examples.
Rather than allowing imperfections to snowball, Antonelli appears increasingly capable of taking them in stride.
A different Kimi arrives at Monza
Now that more relaxed version of Antonelli is heading into the biggest emotional challenge of his season: his home race at Monza.
Last year's Italian double-header at Imola and Monza was hardly the fairy-tale experience the young Italian might have imagined.
He retired at Imola and could manage only ninth at Monza, while the enormous attention surrounding his home races added another layer of pressure to an already demanding rookie season.
This time, however, Antonelli insists he will arrive with an entirely different outlook.
"I'm very excited," he said of Monza. "I think it's going to be a great atmosphere, and it's going to be a lot different compared to last year.
“I'm definitely going in with a different attitude, different mindset, and definitely I feel like I'm going to be able to enjoy the weekend a lot more.
"I'm really looking forward to be back," Antonelli concluded.
Read also: Mercedes confirms Antonelli grid penalty for Italian GPThere is, however, a sizeable sting in the tail. Antonelli is set to take a new power unit at Monza, meaning a major grid penalty awaits him at his home event.
That could make his championship lead harder to defend – but it may also provide another test of the very mentality that has transformed his season.
The pressure will be immense. The penalty will be painful. The expectations from the home crowd will be enormous. But this is a different Kimi Antonelli from the one who arrived at Monza 12 months ago.
He has learned that sometimes the fastest way to find performance is not to chase it. It is to enjoy it.
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