Until the Brazilian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli's 2025 Formula 1 season had been overshadowed by the headline-grabbing performances of his rival rookies.
At Interlagos, Antonelli finally produced his own 'halo' weekend, one that stands alongside Isack Hadjar's Zandvoort podium, Ollie Bearman's battling fourth place at Mexico City and Gabriel Bortoleto's eye-catching top-six finish at the Hungaroring.
Although Antonelli finished third in Canada in June, that was on a weekend when team-mate George Russell dominated. In Brazil, Antonelli was the superior Mercedes driver - with Russell admitting he "felt off the pace" - and put together what stands as his most complete weekend yet in F1.
Team principal Toto Wolff even suggested that Antonelli resisting pressure from the charging Max Verstappen to close out a full house of second places across both qualifying sessions and both races, was a glimpse of what is to come for the 19-year-old.
"All weekend, it was strong from the get-go," said Wolff when asked by The Race if he felt this was Antonelli's most well-rounded weekend so far.
"[It's] good to see. Maybe coming to a track that he didn't know is a bit easier. Expectations are maybe lower, maybe pressure is not as high as some of the European [events].
"Then, the execution was faultless at the end. Being able to fend off Max on a newer and softer tyre, that was really strong and testament to what's to come."
Antonelli agreed, describing it as "the weekend where we put things more together, which is what I need to do".
That's clear evidence of the progress he's made over the course of the season. He's had his attention-grabbing moments, notably that Canada podium and a lucky fourth on debut in Australia, but 2025 hasn't quite lived up to the hype.
It's important to remember that he's under more intense scrutiny than his fellow rookies given he's in a frontrunning team, is being measured against a driver in Russell who has had an outstanding season, and was promoted to F1 at a young age after just one season in Formula 2 - replacing a seven-time world champion in Lewis Hamilton too.
Even within that context, though, his rookie campaign has been good rather than extraordinary.
What's perhaps most impressive is how well Antonelli has recovered from the shaky spell mid-season when his confidence behind the wheel was shattered because of the car instability created by the misstep of the new rear suspension introduced at Imola in May.
That had a negative effect on Russell too, but hurt Antonelli more thanks to his more attacking driving style. While the troublesome suspension was on the car in Montreal, it was a track configuration that masked the problems this created. The Montreal podium stood as Antonelli's sole points finish across seven troubled events (two of those running with the old rear suspension after it was initially removed on a temporary basis for Monaco and Spain) and his campaign appeared to be going off the rails.
Then came Hungary, the reversion to the old spec with the new rear suspension abandoned for good and Antonelli was back in the points. His 10th place there would have been better given his renewed confidence, but for qualifying going awry thanks to a "horrible" first Q2 lap and a track limits violation on his second.
That began a run of seven points finishes in eight events (including a point for eighth in the Austin sprint) that has got his season firmly back on the right track.
Wolff is adamant he always expected Antonelli to bounce back from that tough run, but it's difficult to imagine that there weren't some concerns that he might not get back on an even keel given the level of scrutiny and pressure he was under.
"No, I was always confident he's going to get the necessary grip," said Wolff when asked by The Race if he had any mid-season doubts. "That's why it was always clear that Kimi is going to stay with us next year.
"There was no doubt that with these complicated cars, the management of the tyres, nurturing them, is something that you need to learn and in that respect that's a great result.
"[This is] one of the good days. [There] were many more difficult, but there was not a single moment of doubt in how he's coming.
"I always try to dampen the expectations on him; the Italians talk about the legend Kimi Antonelli after Montreal or after the Miami pole, and that sent additional pressure. So let's keep both feet on the ground; he was second, he fended off Max. That was very impressive but we want to win races and fight for championships."
The reference Wolff made to Antonelli's success at tracks where he hasn't raced before or conducted F1 testing is telling. The expectation inevitably hung heavily on him and that will remain next year, as it does for any F1 driver trying to build a career, but the edges should be rounded off in 2026. That's not only in terms of what might be called the driving and technical skills, but also how to handle the wider off-track challenges.
"It's also managing his own expectations," said Wolff on the question of Antonelli's success at unfamiliar tracks.
"He's so young, he's just 19 years old. You come to a track where you know that you've performed very well in the past, some of the European ones, and then on the back foot, you have a sensational team-mate that is as good as it gets.
"Coming to a track that you don't know is almost less pressure, your expectations are lower, everyone else's expectations are lower. The kind of fan pressure is less than some of the European tracks, and I think that plays a big role."
Wolff also said "we're seeing the young boy becoming a young man and performing". That aptly describes the process Antonelli is going through, watched by hundreds of millions every weekend.
The Interlagos performance, plus whatever is to come in the final three events, is all part of constructing a firm foundation to build on further in 2026.
