Kimi Antonelli admits Mercedes lesson as he speaks out - 'Need to learn to say no'

Mercedes star admitted he needs to learn how to deal with the attention and energy of fans after an overwhelming . In what was just his seventh race in , Antonelli was flung into a homecoming at Imola, just down the road from his hometown of Bologna.

The teenager has enjoyed a few highs in his young F1 career, having been given the seat of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, and finished a race. Yet, he admitted that his latest outing may have handed him a valuable lesson when it comes to dealing with the attention of fans, as he felt and eventual retirement could have been down to his unrelaxed state in the eyeline of loyal supporters.

"I need to learn sometimes to say 'no' and take a bit more time for myself," admitted the 18-year-old Silver Arrows driver as he reflected on the race. "Overall, I think the weekend was probably the worst in terms of performance, so that's why I'll try to recover well and be back stronger in Monaco.

"I absolutely love the support of the fans. I just think on my side, I didn't manage the energy that well, and that compromised definitely the performance on track. I could feel it. I was not as relaxed. I was a bit more tense while driving.

"So, ahead of the next home race, it was a really good lesson. But now we focus on Monaco, because it's going to be important to be on top of the game."

Antonelli struggled in Italy. After a poor showing on Saturday that saw him start P13, he suffered from tyre overheating during the race and retired with a throttle problem. Team-mate was far more successful in qualifying, finishing in P3 to earn a second-row spot on the starting grid, but his car, too, had issues with overheating during the race proper.

Both drivers, Charles Leclerc and ex- man Hamilton, were able to pass Russell, as were and an inspired , as the Brit settled for P7.

With Monaco in full flow and a return to Italy via the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September still to come this term, representative Bradley Lord believes that a lesson will be learned from this overpowering first home race and that the team will surely adapt.

"For all of us, and for Kimi, the highest priority first and foremost is performance," Lord told Autosport. "We knew this would be a big weekend, and there's been a lot of attention. I think within the team, we've seen him as focused as ever and concentrated.

"But, obviously, experiencing all of this for the first time, all the things you can control but also all the things you can't control, is a new phenomenon.

"We've got to view it as a learning experience, understand what were the moments that lifted him and gave him energy, and which bits potentially felt like overload. And then we'll adapt for both busy race weekends and particularly for the next home race in Italy in September as we go forward."