Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been hailed as the “top driver in an F3 car since Max Verstappen” amidst speculation that he may be chosen for a Mercedes Formula 1 seat in 2025. Mercedes is currently in the process of determining who will partner with George Russell at the team next season following the surprising news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has suggested that Hamilton’s departure could present an opportunity for something “bold,” leading some to believe that Antonelli is a contender for the position. The Italian driver, who has been associated with Mercedes since 2018, has achieved remarkable success in karting and various single-seater categories throughout his career. Despite only turning 17 last August, Antonelli has already made the leap to Formula 2 in 2024 after winning the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine last year. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok has disclosed that engineers he spoke to at a private test event compared Antonelli’s talent to that of current three-time champion Verstappen, who made his way into the top tier of racing at the age of 17 after a single season of car racing in Formula 3. “Based on everything I’ve heard about Antonelli, he’s incredibly special,” Chandhok shared on his social media platform. “I spoke with the F3 engineers who recently worked with him during a private test day. They said he was the best driver in an F3 car since Verstappen! McLaren’s gamble with rookie Lewis Hamilton in 2007 paid off.” Antonelli will embark on his debut F2 campaign with the Prema team alongside Ferrari prospect Oliver Bearman, who is set to participate in six FP1 sessions with Haas in 2024. While Wolff did not completely rule out Antonelli as a potential candidate for the Mercedes seat, he emphasized that he did not want to distract the highly-regarded young driver from his F2 responsibilities. “Kimi has been a part of the Mercedes family since he was 11. He has been a part of the junior program, and his career has been incredibly successful,” Wolff stated. “I believe it is most important for him to focus on F2 at this stage. If we start planting ideas or circulating rumors, it will not benefit his F2 campaign. He only transitioned from karts a few years ago and is not even 18 yet. I would prefer not to speculate about Kimi entering F1 at this point.” Like Antonelli, Russell also rose through the ranks as a member of the Mercedes Junior Team, but he spent three seasons with Williams before being promoted to the main Mercedes team. Russell’s arrival coincided with the end of Mercedes’ dominance in the sport, as the team’s streak of eight consecutive Constructors’ titles came to an end. However, Russell secured Mercedes’ only victory under the new ground effect regulations, triumphing over teammate Hamilton at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
According to the Source motorsportweek.com