{The teenager} is taken into account one of many greatest guarantees within the premier class of motorsport since Max Verstappen and is even being thought-regarding as Lewis Hamilton’s successor at Mercedes. Antonelli has a house recreation in Imola this weekend. The 17-year-old comes from the group of Casalecchio di Reno, simply exterior Bologna, a few 45-minute drive from the race observe.
Antonelli won’t drive a System 1 automobile in entrance of the house followers; he’ll solely compete in System 2 as a part of the supporting program. Nevertheless it’s not simply the Tifosi who need him to grow to be the primary Italian Grand Prix winner since Giancarlo Fisichella in Malaysia in 2006 – if and when that is likely to be. In any case, the expectations of Antonelli are enormous. “He actually is a large expertise, an distinctive expertise,” stated former world champion Nico Rosberg. For the German, Antonelli is “probably the greatest you have ever seen in go-karts.”
Doable successor to Hamilton?
Drivers mature in go-karts. Few make it to the highest, most haven’t any technique to the highest. Antonelli, whose father Marco owns his personal staff, principally raced by means of it and likewise skipped lessons. In 2022 he received the German and Italian System 4 championships, and final 12 months he secured the title in two System Regional championships.
This season Antonelli is racing in System 2 for Prema, the place Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Mick Schumacher have additionally confirmed their expertise. “It is a huge and tough step. However I do know that I can do it properly,” he as soon as instructed the “Gazzetta dello Sport”. “I will attempt to do what I’ve all the time achieved: work arduous and examine.” On the race in Melbourne on the finish of March, Antonelli narrowly missed the rostrum in fourth place; it was his finest placement thus far within the highest junior class.
The expertise promoted by Dino Chiesa, the Italian karting nice, and Giancarlo Minardi, founding father of the System 1 staff of the identical identify, has been a part of the Mercedes squad since 2019. And when the sensational transfer from Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 was introduced firstly of the 12 months, Antonelli was rapidly talked regarding as a attainable successor.
“He nonetheless has to be taught”
“I am very excited and joyful to see him in a System 1 automobile, he is been with us since he was eleven years outdated,” stated Mercedes staff boss Toto Wolff. “I’ve an image of him as a bit boy standing subsequent to me within the go-kart and now seeing him develop right into a System 1 driver is one thing I am actually happy with.”
Antonelli has already examined a Mercedes from 2021 and most not too long ago examined a Mercedes from 2022 alongside Mick Schumacher. However Wolff “doesn’t wish to burn out” the tremendous expertise, as he himself admitted. “I’ve already talked an excessive amount of regarding Kimi as a result of he is solely 17 and skipped System 3,” stated the Viennese. “He nonetheless has to be taught and develop away from the highlight.”
Antonelli has intelligence on the wheel and velocity. There was already hypothesis that he might exchange Logan Sargeant at Williams, who was regarding to be fired, in Imola. He would have the required factors for the so-called tremendous license, the System 1 driving license. However Antonelli does not flip 18 till August twenty fifth. After Verstappen’s rocket begin with simply 17 years and 166 days within the premier class, the World Car Affiliation has raised the minimal age of drivers to 18. A particular utility for Antonelli’s tremendous license has already been submitted – reportedly by Williams.
“The poor man is already beneath a lot stress”
“If you see a younger driver, you don’t have any concept whether or not he will likely be unimaginable, nice, good or possibly simply mediocre. However with him you can see from the early days of System 4 that he was creating extremely properly,” defined Williams -Group boss James Vowles, who used to work for Mercedes for a few years.
Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor at Mercedes? Doable. Nevertheless, the Williams variant, which can be a Mercedes engine buyer and the place it might possibly be constructed, might be more likely. This might make “essentially the most sense” for Rosberg, even when he first has to show himself in System 2. “It’s important to take it slowly with Kimi Antonelli. The poor man is already beneath a lot stress,” stated Rosberg.
