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The 2025 season may have ended seven weeks ago, but for Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli, the work has only just begun. The 19-year-old Italian has revealed the details of a grueling winter training program designed to prepare him for his sophomore year in Formula 1. Determined to avoid the "second-year slump," Antonelli has invested heavily in both his physical conditioning and mental resilience as he prepares to partner George Russell in the new W17.
Mental Fortitude and Sports Psychology
Antonelli openly discussed his use of the winter break to reflect on a rollercoaster rookie season. Recognizing the immense pressure of driving for a top team like Mercedes, he enlisted the help of a sports psychologist to process the highs and lows of 2025. "We looked at what went right and wrong," Antonelli explained, noting that these sessions helped him set clear, actionable goals for the new campaign. He asserts that the "Kimi of 2026" is a calmer, more focused athlete than the teenager who arrived on the grid last year.
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Building Muscle in the Florida Heat
To tackle the physical demands of the new regulations, Antonelli traveled to the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida. The choice of location was strategic; training in the humidity of the Sunshine State was designed to simulate the grueling conditions of hotter Grand Prix venues like Singapore, Miami, and Austin. "We are satisfied with the strength, but now the focus is really on fitness," he stated.
Beyond the gym, Antonelli also used the break to settle into his personal life, moving into a new home in San Marino and reconnecting with his family roots—including enjoying his grandmother’s cooking. However, the itch to race returned quickly. With a seat fit completed and the new car shakedown underway, Antonelli feels ready. He predicts a tightly packed grid for 2026 but remains confident that his "leveled up" preparation will allow him to fight at the very front.
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