Bernie Collins Highlights Race Engineer’s Role in Kimi Antonelli’s Belgian GP Triumph

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli earned praise for his composure after a hard‑won victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, with former F1 strategist and Sky Sports analyst Bernie Collins crediting the crucial input of his race engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington.

Starting from pole at Spa‑Francorchamps, Antonelli delivered another strong drive to secure his sixth win of the season, although the road to the podium was not without obstacles.

An ill‑timed virtual safety car disrupted his rhythm, giving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc the chance to profit from a low‑cost pit stop and briefly assume the lead.

Although he missed the ideal pit window by two laps, Antonelli kept his cool and turned pole position into another victory. Speaking on Sky Sports F1 after the race, Collins said: “He has truly embraced the steady influence of Bono, his race engineer.”

“Bono kept reminding him at various stages, ‘This is where you can gain time, this is where you can improve.’”

“It was a commanding performance from Kimi. He remained with the team, avoided frustration, and in this race he pitted two laps before the VSC appeared—just bad luck. He acknowledges that such outcomes are part of the sport’s unpredictability and cannot be forecast from the pit wall.”

“He stayed calm. In earlier races Kimi might have felt annoyed finishing behind Leclerc, but this time he stuck to the strategy, absorbed Bono’s guidance, and drove the car to the lead position it deserved.”

Antonelli, who increased his lead in the drivers’ championship, called the win hard‑fought in a post‑race chat with 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve.

“It feels great to be back on the top step after a few tough outings,” the 19‑year‑old remarked. “We lost the lead due to a VSC, but we fought our way back.”

“It was a tough victory because Charles was quick and we had to defend our position.”

Kimi Antonelli, Peter Bonnington

Photo by: Reginald Mathalone / NurPhoto via Getty Images

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