Andrea Kimi Antonelli has said he is ready to deal with the pressure of driving in Formula 1.
The 18-year-old only made his Formula 2 debut this season, currently competing for PREMA Racing. However, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff believes he is already equipped to race at the pinnacle of single-seater motorsports. Starting next year, he will race alongside George Russell for the German team.
Rise to the summit
Since he joined the team’s junior programme in 2019, Antonelli has had a sharp rise to securing his Mercedes seat. The Italian has won championships at multiple levels and has catapulted through the ranks at an astonishing rate. Despite completely bypassing F3, he has scored a respectable 113 points in his debut F2 campaign and currently sits sixth in the World Drivers’ Championship Standings. Whilst he has only just turned 18, his promising performances made him an outstanding candidate for the Mercedes seat, which became available for 2025.
However, although the Italian driver without a doubt possesses natural racing talent, he has also recognized the role that the Silver Arrows has had in his development. When asked by F1 media how he plans to deal with the pressure of obtaining the Mercedes seat, Antonelli said:
“I think one of the main factors [in dealing with pressure] is when you know you have a team like Mercedes around you that really believe in you, and they’ve been believing in me since a very young age.
A special visit to Brixworth and Brackley for Kimi ?
His first chance to speak in front of the team and answer their questions about the challenge that lies ahead ? pic.twitter.com/QFIMsqaAYC
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 1, 2024
“They really help you to cope with this pressure very well, and even though sometimes I still don’t cope with that perfectly, I still get the right support from Mercedes but also from my family, so I’m really happy to be with them and really happy with the support they’ve been giving me, not only in the past but also nowadays.”
Whilst he does not assume the permanent role until next year, Antonelli has more upcoming F1 action before the season concludes. The 18-year-old will drive the W15 at the end-of-season young driver test in Abu Dhabi.
Filling big boots
When he arrives at the Brackley-based outfit, Antonelli has the task of filling some rather large shoes. The Italian will be taking the place of Lewis Hamilton, who signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season. Whilst confident in his own abilities, Antonelli has not failed to recognise the role that Hamilton has had on the growth of the sport. When asked about the prospect of replacing the seven-time world champion at Mercedes, Antonelli said:
“I think it’s not possible to replace Lewis Hamilton.
“He’s such a great figure in the sport of today, and he has achieved so much in his career, so I don’t want to [be seen] as his replacement – I’m just the next driver for Mercedes in ’25, so I’m really excited for that.
“He’s a really great guy, he has been giving me some support so, yeah, really happy.”
Feature Image Credit: (Photo by MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)