Kimi Antonelli is prepared. © APA/afp / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

Antonelli isn't bothered by the heat: "I'm Italian."

Despite the scorching heat, Formula 1 leader Kimi Antonelli is foregoing a cooling vest at the Austrian Grand Prix.

June 26, 2026

From: dpa

“I’m Italian, I’m used to this weather,” said the 19-year-old ahead of Sunday’s race (15.00 p.m.) in Spielberg. After a mechanical failure that left him without scoring any championship points in Barcelona, ​​the Mercedes driver will have to fight hard in Styria. next attack from record world champion Lewis Hamilton Defending against them in a Ferrari.

“This will be a tough one,” said Antonelli, referring to the Briton, who is 22 years his senior and 41 points behind him in the overall standings, having recently won in Spain: “He is in top form and it will be difficult against him because he has been driving superbly.” Antonelli himself, however, has won five of the seven races so far this season and still has a fairly comfortable lead.

"You'll sweat a lot."

Perhaps the expected heat in Austria, with temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees Celsius, will even be an advantage for him. The Grand Prix has already been officially classified by the FIA ​​(Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) as a race with a high risk of heat. This warning is issued when temperatures exceed 31 degrees Celsius. The regulation ensures that drivers can use a specially designed cooling vest for protection.

Will the duel with Lewis Hamilton be renewed? © APA/afp / MANAURE QUINTERO

“Yes, it’s definitely very hot, you’ll sweat a lot in the car, but the vest didn’t work well for me last time,” Antonelli explained. Last year, during the World Championship race in Austin, Texas, there had been a technical problem. “It got incredibly hot in the car, and I was pretty exhausted afterwards,” the Italian said. He wants to wait until the system is more refined, even though there have already been improvements. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen from the Netherlands is also foregoing the vest.

Instead of relying on technical aids, Antonelli is focusing on rigorous physical training to adapt to the conditions. "It's very hot, so the body has to adjust," Antonelli said. "And I've tried to adapt as much as possible to feel the heat in the car as little as possible."