There isn’t a driver from Italy on the Formula One grid, but that could be about to change as Mercedes gets closer to finding Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.
Kimi Andrea Antonelli is rumored to have pleased Mercedes’ management enough during a test earlier this month that the team is prepared to give the 17-year-old a ride for the upcoming campaign.
After the Miami Grand Prix, Antonelli participated in a test session at Silverstone with Mercedes’ 2022 vehicle alongside reserve and simulator driver Mick Schumacher.
The team was clear during the test that it was not a competition between Antonelli and Schumacher to see who could replace the significant vacuum left by Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari at the end of the season, despite reports to the contrary.
Corriere dello Sport reports that George Russell was also involved. According to the Italian sports daily, Antonelli was not only faster than Schumacher but also, over an extended period of time, somewhat superior to Russell.
During a qualifying run, Antonelli is said to have outperformed Russell, though it is unclear what tires were used or the weather circumstances during each driver’s outing.
What is obviously certain is Mercedes was able to measure Antonelli’s performance alongside one of its current drivers, resulting in a good outcome for the young Italian. It is suggested that in 2025, Antonelli will make his Formula One debut for Mercedes.
Despite the team’s request for an exception to the super licence regulations, which forbid drivers from competing before the age of eighteen, we discovered at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that Antonelli would not be making his early Formula One debut. It takes Antonelli until August 25, the Sunday of the Dutch GP weekend, to reach that milestone.
Bypassing the F3 title this year, Antonelli made his F2 debut alongside Prema. Antonelli’s management wants him to complete the season in part because of this.
Prema, who often leads the F2 race, is having a challenging season. Oliver Bearman and Antonelli, a gifted team, have failed to secure a podium as a result.
But Mercedes is renowned for understanding the problems at Prema and for being able to contextualize Antonelli’s performance, so there are no questions about the junior driver’s abilities.
