Talents in Formula 1: The little Redeemer Kimi Antonelli and his companions

It is very thick for Isack Hadjar in his Formula 1 debut very early on. The French-Algerian pilot from the Racing Bulls team does not even take its racing car to the starting line-up on Sunday-but crashes in the introductory round. The 20-year-old suffers the greatest possible humiliation on the most important day of his career.

The first to comfort Hadjar were not his parents or team boss, but Anthony Hamilton. At the age of 40, his son Lewis is also one of the debutants at the start of the season in Australia, but for the record world champion, only the racing team, the steering wheel and the car are new. Nevertheless, he had wished for assistance from the family, and because Papa Hamilton was now there, he immediately rehearsed use as a comforter. Lewis Hamilton was able to use compassion at the end of a chaotic race Sunday as tenth.

Six newcomers started their first full Formula 1 season in Melbourne, as many rookies as they are called in the scene have not been around for two decades. Only two of them finished. And only Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is supposed to replace Lewis Hamilton, who migrated to Ferrari, was to replace as a 18-year-old in the Mercedes team, he was able to prove that he is already ready for the upcoming upheaval in the coming years. After an unfortunate qualification, he only went into the race from 16th place, but did everything tactically and in terms of driving and did not let himself be disturbed by moments of fright.

The Italian, for whom a speed limit is still considered as a new driver’s license on the domestic Autostrada, confirmed in Melbourne with his fourth place in the Grand Prioles of Weather, especially his team boss and advocate Toto Wolff. “I can’t complain,” said Antonelli modestly, “there is too much to learn.” The gala performance was not surprising for the Mercedes engineers. Behind the hand, they already call Antonelli “Little Baby Jesus”.

“Hats off! I wouldn’t have wanted to drive my first race under such conditions, ”says Nico Hülkenberg

The presentation of the small Redeemer was only endangered by the racing commissioners when Antonelli and Nico Hülkenberg’s clean after a change of tires in the pit lane came closely. The original five -second penalty, which Antonelli would have returned to fifth place, was later lifted. Hülkenberg opponent had respect for all newcomers: “Hats off! I would not have wanted to run my first race under such conditions. “

His teammates Gabriel Bortoleto also got it when only ten rounds were left. The slip will hardly be resented to the 21-year-old Brazilian, and it is to be built up for the future Audi work team. If he were to start Alpine for the French brand, it might look different. There Flavio Briatore is in charge, and in the style of Elon Musk, the Italian has committed himself entirely to efficiency, which also means that the Australian Jack Doohan has to tremble for his job from the start. The son of the former motorcycle champion Mick Doohan had already threatened the 22-year-old after signing the contract: “I control every millimeter you are moving in Formula 1.”

With Franco Colapinto, who was already in the garage in Melbourne, Briatore has a replacement at his hand. The Argentinian had made headlines as a temporary pilot last year and only triggered the youth craze of Formula 1. Above all, however, he brings plenty of sponsorship money. The fact that Doohan only got five corners in his home game before he lost control of his car on the slippery straight line.

Failure in the border area, which is part of the principle of Formula 1. Last year’s winner Carlos Sainz Junior, who tries a new beginning at the cellar child Williams at the age of 30, a similarly embarrassing misfortune as Hadjar. At the end of the first round, the Spaniard switched from over 200 races despite the experience, in a safety car phase this is particularly bitter. Fernando Alonso, the industry senior, did not do much better later. But there are other standards that are created in the search for the next century talent, weather or not.

At Red Bull Racing you are particularly strict. Racing stable consultant Helmut Marko, who found and encouraged the world champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, had promoted the New Zealand Liam Lawson to Max Verstappen as a replacement for the hapless Sergio Perez. The 23-year-old is very convinced of himself, occasionally behaved as male as a seasoned Grand Prix winner, but apparently took over the bad luck from Perez: engine problems in training, mistake in qualification and then the loss of control ten before the end. He threw the car out in the same place in the same place in curve two with slicks on a rain -wet road like Hadjar at the very beginning.

Ferraris Protegé Oliver Bearman saw the target flag, but only the last. The Briton, which is already being acted on the island, had already experienced his debacle beforehand: In the first training session, he had lost control behind the steering wheel on the straight line and almost destroyed his new company car. The property damage goes to hundreds of thousands, and the engine also had to be changed. The important first day of training was over. In qualification, the 19-year-old suffered a gear problem, he had to start from the pit lane. Full of breakdown.

Lewis Hamilton was compassionate before the weekend, in his usual wooden hammer poetry: “Diamonds are only created over time. And I hope that the boys have time and space to develop and be themselves without adapting and having to rush, ”said the seven -time world champion. “Above all, you also have to be allowed to make mistakes. But in Formula 1 you make your mistakes in front of the eyes of all the world – and that’s really difficult. ”