Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli proved he’s worth the hype with an impressive display in mixed conditions at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. 

Five rookies headed down under, but none with as much expectation as Antonelli and boy, did he deliver.

Antonelli arrives in F1 as an 18-year-old, hailed as the new generation for Mercedes to fill the gaping void left by Lewis Hamilton. 

The feeling within the Mercedes camp is that Antonelli could be a Verstappen-level talent, and fast-tracking him to F1 was crucial given the German marque missed out on the Flying Dutchman a decade ago. 

Before he was even announced as a Mercedes F1 driver shortly after his 18th birthday during last year’s Italian Grand Prix, Antonelli underwent an extensive TPC (Testing of Previous Car) programme.

This testing regime continued and he made a further FP1 appearance at Mexico City in 2024. 

In total, before arriving at pre-season testing last month, Toto Wolff reasoned that Antonelli had already racked up approximately 9,000 kilometres in Mercedes F1 machinery. 

But how would all of this translate into true F1 pace?

Antonelli suffered a qualifying setback in Australia

The first real indication of Antonelli’s true potential would be qualifying, where he was sadly resigned to a shock Q1 exit.

However, this was no fault of the Italian with his 16th-place spot on the grid due to a damaged front bib. 

Well, partly, as his ragged on-the-limit approach over several kerbs likely triggered the damage.

 “It was a bit unfortunate,” he said. “On the medium [tyres], obviously, it needed another lap to come in, but then we switched to softs, and I think after T6 the car was quite damaged.

“Tomorrow it’s going to rain, so anything can happen. We’ll try to build something good from there.”

There was promise then, at that point, of something special from Antonelli on Sunday as he had already shown he is fearless in the wet, having overtaken Franco Colapinto off-line at Eau Rouge in the wet during last year’s Belgian F2 Sprint race.

A race day charge

Come race day at Albert Park, and with fellow rookies falling by the wayside, Antonelli shone brightly. 

A Turn 3 spin did little to halt Antonelli’s charge from 16th through to fourth, which was signed off by a brilliant outside of Turn 9 move on Williams’ Alex Albon. 

Antonelli arrived on the F1 scene in a big way, displaying the adept talent to muscle an F1 car in the wet with the skills of a seasoned veteran.

Antonelli’s speed was matched with tenacity, bravery and skill.

“I think today we got all the possible worst conditions for a first race,” Antonelli told select media including Motorsport Week post-race. 

“I mean, we got wet, slicks on damp, slicks on wet, and then back to wet. 

“So, definitely a really, really eventful race. But I’m really happy how it was managed from my side and from the team. 

“Of course, I did a couple of mistakes, especially the spin. But, you know, the conditions were super, super tricky. Also, those white lines were a killer. But, yeah, really happy. 

“The team really helped me throughout the whole race and made all the right calls and I definitely cannot complain about today.”

Antonelli revealed that Sunday in Melbourne was his second time driving an F1 car in the wet, following his first TPC run last year in Austria.

A fast learner, Antonelli used his opening stint to learn about the Intermediate tyre before being confident in the closing stint of the race, which his move and Albon proved.

“It was my second ever time on the wet with an F1,” he said. 

“My first time was in Austria, my first ever test. 

“The first stint, I struggled a little bit because with the Inters, I was trying to learn the tyre and to see how it was working, the grip and everything and then when I put on the second set I had a lot more confidence.”

Antonelli’s Australia result on ‘merit’ – Wolff

Wolff said the performance was on “merit” and showed the world the potential Mercedes already knew about.

“We always knew the potential, we’ve seen it, we’ve followed him since he was a kid. Performs under pressure, and yesterday in qualifying that wasn’t his doing. He would have qualified much further ahead. And today you saw that, he was able to just, you know, properly reel everybody in, slowly but surely, without making any mistakes. He had a little spin, but otherwise P4 is the result that he merits.”

An F1 debut under the toughest conditions and Antonelli shone like the sport’s newest star should.

He’s worthy of the hype.

READ MORE – George Russell not ‘naive’ to the threat Kimi Antonelli could pose at Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli has had his fourth place finish at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix reinstated after Mercedes successfully appealed with the stewards.

Anotnelli, 18, was masterful in the wet Melbourne conditions on Sunday.

Starting 16th on the grid, the Mercedes rookie survived one spin at Albert Park to climb to fourth on the road by the time the chequered flag fell.

However, the Mercedes ace was noted for an unsafe release in pit-lane, shortly after he’d made his pass on Williams’ Alex Albon to claim fourth and the stewards decided to hand the young Italian a five-second time penalty, demoting him to fifth.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, Mercedes lodged a right of review, and upon the Stewards’ reviewing new evidence, the penalty was lifted and Antonelli reclaimed fourth place.

The decision was overturned thanks to roll-hoop video evidence that was only available post-race.

“The petitioner provided video from the roll hoop camera which was previously unavailable,” read the stewards’ statement. 

“This video was relevant and significant in the opinion of the Stewards and was unavailable at the time of the original decision (having only been downloaded from the Formula One camera post-race). 

“Having examined the new video, plus additional video previously not available to the Stewards and taken from the helicopter, the Stewards decide to reverse the previous Decision.  

“As a result the penalty on Car 12 in Document number 43 is removed and no further action is required. 

“It is clear that Car 12 did not cross into the fast lane until a significant distance down the pit lane and only after the driver checked his mirror to confirm clearance with Car 27.  

“The roll hoop camera shows that he had sufficient room to safely pass the McLaren pits without risk to the McLaren mechanics.”

READ MORE – George Russell not ‘naive’ to the threat Kimi Antonelli could pose at Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli has described the prospect of racing against Lewis Hamilton as “surreal” as the young Italian prepares to make his Formula 1 debut at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

Antonelli was chosen as the man to fill the enormous void left at Mercedes by Hamilton, who will line-up for Ferrari for the first time in Melbourne.

With a 22-year age gap, Antonelli, who had been affiliated to the German marque’s junior team since 2019, has spent much of his lifetime watching Hamilton’s successful career unfold.

Speaking to media in a press conference at the Albert Park Circuit, Antonelli conveyed his excitement at lining up on the grid alongside the seven-time World Champion.

“I mean, first of all, if it feels pretty surreal to be able to race, you know, with someone such as Lewis,” he said.

“I’ve been growing up, and also, once I joined the Mercedes, been looking at him, and it’s been incredibly successful.

“It feels kind of weird that I’m going be sharing the track with him, but also with Carlos [Sainz], with all the drivers at the end of the day, because you know when you’re used to see them on TV, and then finally you’re able to share the track with them, it is an incredible feeling.

“And yeah, last year, I’ve been doing some trackside, end of season, and being starting to work with the team, and Lewis has always been nice to me, and also giving me some advice.”

Turning to Hamilton, who was also present, Antonelli said: “And then also, I think you wrote a message, in the drivers’ room, so I’m going be able to see it pretty soon.

“But, yeah, he’s [Hamilton] always been really nice to me, and I’m really, really grateful for that, because it shows that, you know, it’s not only a great driver, but also a great person.

Hamilton shares own ‘surreal’ Schumacher memory in relation to Antonelli

Hamilton was quick to praise his replacement at the ‘Silver Arrows’, citing his commitment to how he has reached the pinnacle of motorsport whilst still in his teenage years.

He also cited a moment when he first shared an F1 circuit with Michael Schumacher, when the fellow seven-times champion came out of retirement to kick-off Mercedes’ return to F1.

A McLaren driver at the time, Hamilton recollected how he was thrilled to just follow in the German’s wheel tracks when the pair first found themselves on the same tarmac together.

“I’m happy for him [Antonelli], you know, he’s doing so well and conducting himself so well,” Hamilton said, “Taking that first leap, getting that first opportunity to be in Formula 1, it’s so, so special.

“I know how many years of dedication it would have taken for him. Starting even younger than I did. You’re 18 now, yeah? It’s just exciting to see.

“I remember being on track with Michael Schumacher back in the day, and he being ahead of me, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Michael Schumacher’, and I just followed him for lap as many laps till he came in, basically, and, and it’s a very, very… it’s just, it’s very surreal.

“It’s very hard to believe it’s true what you’re seeing, because you’re growing up every day, every weekend, you know, make a bacon sarnie, and sit and watch the Grand Prix come on and watch him have that success.

“So I think when I’m looking at the youngsters coming through, I think I always really do try and want to make sure that I’m trying to set a good example in what I do and kind of look at them and I want to protect them from all the incoming bombardment that they will experience, because it can be a cruel world and they just need time.”

READ MORE – Max Verstappen ‘not on Mercedes radar’ as George Russell contract talks loom

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George Russell has admitted he isn’t being “naive” about the threat that Andrea Kimi Antonelli could pose to him, despite his new team-mate’s inexperience in Formula 1.

Antonelli is preparing to embark upon his rookie campaign in the sport in 2025 having been chosen to succeed the now-departed seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton’s decision to migrate to Ferrari and Antonelli’s promotion has seen Russell, entering his seventh season in F1, become recognised as the team leader at Mercedes.

The Briton, though, has insisted that he isn’t underestimating the internal challenge that Antonelli, who has clocked around 9000 kilometres in F1 cars, will present in 2025.

Russell believes the raw speed that has accompanied Antonelli’s rapid ascent up the racing ladder will serve him well as he navigates his maiden campaign in the sport.

“I think he’ll definitely keep me on my toes, there’s no doubt about that,” Russell told sport.de. “When I think back to when I was 18, I don’t feel any faster today.

“I feel more experienced. I know how to deal with the pressure of F1 and everything that comes with working with a team of 2,000 people.

“But in terms of speed, you either have it or you don’t. I think he has it, so I’m going to give him a lot of respect.”

Russell aware Antonelli will want to beat him

Mercedes heads into the upcoming season hoping that a revised line-up will inspire a reversal in fortunes amid the lean spell that it has endured under the current rules cycle.

The German marque hasn’t come close to winning a title since 2022 despite entering the regulation reset as the side to beat with eight Constructors’ Championships in a row.

But although he is convinced the two will form a productive partnership, Russell is aware that Antonelli will be eager to beat him to impose his own mark at Mercedes.

“We’re going to work well as a team, I’m excited to see what he can achieve,” Russell said.

“But you should never be naive, especially when the youngsters are coming in, because I remember when I was that age, and you have a lot of fire within you.”

READ MORE – George Russell: Mercedes ‘needed’ challenging F1 spell to ‘break the mould’

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A new documentary produced by Formula 1 dubbed ‘Rookies’ has allowed viewers to gain extra insight into the series’ newest drivers.

After 2024 saw the same 20 drivers carried over from the year before in the same seats for the first time in F1 series history, 2025 has seen a dramatic swing back in the opposite direction and this new documentary on F1TV celebrates just that.

Produced and directed by Rory Child, ‘Rookies’ is a 50-minute documentary taking audiences behind the scenes to learn more about F1’s five newbies joining the 2025 grid.

The young men in question are Haas’ Oliver Bearman, Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls‘ Isack Hadjar.

Child guides the viewer through the experiences of each rookie throughout 2024, the pivotal year for all five of F1s newcomers and a series of talking heads including renowned commentator Alex Jacques and F2 & F3 CEO Bruno Michel compliment on-track footage and interviews with the five drivers themselves.

The doc opens with Jacques in voice-over, saying “A new generation is about to burst onto the Formula 1 scene,” before introducing our rookies in a series of action shots and interview snippets, interspersed with commentary from the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff and George Russell in a glitzy introduction.

Throughout, Jacques plays a familiar role in the documentary, one which Will Buxton performs in Netflix’s Drive to Survive, navigating the novice viewer through the intricacies of the single-seater pyramid.

Michel then hails the recent impact of F1 teams operating driver academies in junior formula and it is at this point we are introduced to the first of our five rookies: Bearman.

Here the framework for the doc is laid out, repeated with the remaining four rookies. 

We see the stories of how the rookies landed their F1 promotions, and what motivates them, but more importantly, we learn a bit more about their character from those around them.

Bearman performs best under pressure

So, what did we learn about Bearman?

Perhaps the best man to comment on Haas’ latest acquisition is his father David, who says “Whenever Ollie has been given that moment and when it has been time to perform, he’s stepped up. He’s stepped up every time and that’s incredible to watch.”

Bearman had to step during Round 2 of the 2024 F1 season to replace appendicitis-suffering Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah and he was able to jump in at the 11th hour and score points in seventh place. 

“I always found with Ollie if you put him under pressure he performs even better,” says his father.

Bearman acknowledged that the race in Jeddah “changed his life,” with F2 CEO Michel adding it “helped” open the door for more rookies to get their opportunities.

‘Fierce’ Antonelli is the long-term future for Mercedes

18-year-old Antonelli was another of the most talked about names last year in F2, having bypassed F3 to make his debut in the series.

The hype around the young Italian is now reaching an astronomical level as Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes.

Antonelli has long been a part of the Mercedes family, with Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue pointing out he scouted the young Italian when he was just 11 years old, noting“He was already quite special” at that stage.

As the man who identified his talent, Lagrue is a great candidate to explain why Antonelli is so highly regarded.

Mercedes Team Principal Wolff says in the documentary “We expect difficult moments. With Kimi, we can see because of his upbringing, his background, his family, also being a part of our family for a long time he’s fierce.”

A crash during his FP1 debut with Mercedes at Monza perhaps characterised the ferocity Wolff credits Antonelli with possessing.

“There’s no doubt he has the talent, the ability, the skills and now it’s about allowing him the space to grow up within this crazy, tough, ruthless environment,” adds Wolff.

What is clear is that Mercedes and Antonelli aim to be together for the long haul with the Italian calling Wolff a “second dad to me” and the Austrian saying “we will protect him, we will allow him to grow. Kimi is the long-term future of the team.”

Doohan is driven to succeed

Doohan is unique among the five rookies in two ways.

First, he is the only one who didn’t have a full-time racing programme in 2024, instead acting as Alpine’s reserve driver.

Second, he is the only one who can call five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan his father.

“It’s very rewarding to see him [succeed] because he’s the one who asked me if he won another championship in Australia if I’d take him to Europe go-karting,” says Doohan senior.

“He was the one who wanted to do that and then it has been a ride from there and the drive and the determination that he’s had. So to see it actually pay off is so rewarding as a father.

“I know that he’s fully immersed himself into the team, into the sim work, he’s been doing plenty of mileage in the older cars so he’s embraced that and I think that’s the thing he knows if he wanted to go to the next level he needs to put in that groundwork. 

“I’m not just saying that as a father, I’m saying that as someone who’s had that mindset himself and I can see it in Jack. Sure I’ve given him some guidance but he’s got that drive and dedication himself.”

Bortoleto has the ‘soft skills to succeed in F1

Bortoleto graduates to F1 in the exclusive club of drivers to win the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in consecutive rookie seasons.

That granted the former McLaren junior the chance to sign with Sauber on a multi-year deal that will see the young Brazilian race under the banner of Audi in his sophomore season next year.

His story in the documentary begins with the stunning last-to-first victory at Monza, which helped catapult him into title contention.

It’s also a race that made Sauber Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer Mattia Binotto take notice.

“It’s that the type of drive that makes you convinced that the talent and the potential are there,” the Sauber boss says, interspersed with footage of Bortoleto celebrating on the Monza podium.

“I’m so happy that he chose us,” adds Binotto. 

“He was so enthusiastic about the Audi F1 project because it’s really starting from zero and I think that’s exactly the right mindset I was looking for.

“He impressed me the way he was driving, but he impressed me more as a person. What will be in F1 we will see but I think he’s got all the soft skills that are required to be a champion in the future.”

Hadjar delivers when called upon

Hadjar’s 2024 season was unlike his fellow F2 competitors as the reality that he might secure a drive in F1 was only realised post-season.

An agonising end to his title fight with Bortoleto ended with a stall at the start of the final race and that wasn’t the only moment of strife that Hadjar had to overcome in 2024.

The Red Bull junior lost the feature race win in Monaco thanks to a late Virtual Safety Car handing Zak O’Sullivan a free pitstop. 

One points finish from the first five races also characterised the hurdles Hadjar had to overcome as he sought to recover from an underwhelming rookie F2 season in 2023.

Someone who knows Hadjar better than most, and what it takes to succeed at the very top of the sport is Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin, Head of the Driver Academy at Red Bull and the man who made the iconic “Du Best Weltmeister” radio call as Sebastian Vettel won his first world title in 2010.

With his future on the line, an F2 title at stake and the glimmer of hope he’d get a shot at F1, Rocky says Hadjar “He handled the pressure very well and I think to be honest, surprisingly, the pressure was more the previous year [2023] in his rookie campaign in F2.

“I think he had a very tough introduction to F2, he struggled quite a lot, the results weren’t what he was used to, and the pace wasn’t there. So there was a lot of question marks and I think he thought his career was over then.

“He entered this season with a lot more belief, a lot more confidence and I think while the pressure was there because the results were required, the pressure put on himself was less than the previous year because he had so much more confidence. 

“When called upon, he really delivered and did very well so there’s not much I can criticise from his performance,” he concludes. 

Red Bull told Hadjar that 2024 was his last chance to prove himself and he did just that, earning his spot on the 2025 grid alongside his four fellow rookies.

The quintet, based on the appraisals of those closest to them, all look set to make their mark on F1.

READ MORE – F1 releases behind the scenes documentary on 2025 rookies

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that he will be calling upon Valtteri Bottas to “coach” Andrea Kimi Antonelli through his rookie season with the team in Formula 1.

Bottas has returned to Mercedes to serve in a reserve driver role across the upcoming campaign amid Sauber’s decision not to retain him in the team’s line-up past 2024.

The Finn, who is angling to secure a return to the grid next season, has reunited with the squad that he won 10 races with across a five-season spell between 2017 and 2021.

Bottas will add much-needed experience to the Mercedes setup as it embarks on a new era without Lewis Hamilton, who cut his ties with the team to make the switch to Ferrari.

Mercedes elected to promote Antonelli to the seat that Hamilton vacated alongside George Russell as the German marque turns attention to the regulation overhaul in 2026.

With Mercedes choosing to overlook more established names to partner Russell, Wolff has admitted there will be an emphasis on Bottas to help Antonelli in his debut season.

“Part of the role of Valtteri will be to have a look at Kimi,” Wolff told RacingNews365. “Be there to coach, be there to have an eye on what’s happening on the track.

“Kimi is going to learn from Valtteri and from George.”

Antonelli eager to learn from experienced counterparts

Antonelli has expressed his eagerness to draw upon the experience of both Bottas and team-mate Russell, entering his seventh season in F1, to ease his transition.

“He’s been a good team-mate,” Antonelli told Sky Sports F1 at a Mercedes event with new partner Adidas regarding his relationship with Russell.

“So far he’s been helping me; we’ve been chatting quite a bit also about the car and also race weekends. So he’s been giving me some feedback and some advice. 

“Also with Valtteri, I was able to meet him for the first time and start to build a relationship.

“I’m also looking forward to working with Valtteri beside George, also because Valtteri is a really experienced driver.

“He’s been with Mercedes for so many years and for sure he can help me out as well during race weekends.”

Antonelli prepared for ‘brutal’ F1

Antonelli has acknowledged the sport can be a “brutal” environment when things go wrong, as he experienced when he crashed two laps into his maiden FP1 run at Monza.

However, the Italian has claimed that he has an appropriate support network around him to ensure that he can overcome the inevitable bumps that will occur this season.

“It is not going to be easy, because it is my first year in F1 and at the end of the day, I’m racing against the best 19 drivers in the world,” Antonelli added.

“The world of motorsport, and Formula 1 especially, can be very brutal at times, but the thing is, I am just going to try and stay focused on myself, trying to work day-to-day, weekend-by-weekend and trying to improve.

“Of course the mindset is going to be to try and win, but I have good people around me in this moment and they will really help me ignore the external things in order to be focused on the moment.

“I feel like I am just a new Mercedes driver and I’m saying that replacing Lewis Hamilton, I don’t think it is correct as he’s such a big figure and done so much that I feel like I am just the next Mercedes driver. 

“I really want to make my way, achieve great results and be successful.”

READ MORE – Kimi Antonelli reveals ambitious mindset heading into his rookie F1 campaign

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli has expressed that his competitive instincts will have him gunning for the win on his Formula 1 debut in 2025, despite admitting that he must be “realistic”.

Antonelli is preparing to embark upon his rookie campaign in the sport, having been selected to succeed seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who has moved to Ferrari.

The Italian had long been regarded as the obvious replacement and Mercedes had put him through a rigorous testing programme across last season to assess his credentials.

That has culminated in Antonelli amassing close to 9000 kilometres in F1 machinery – including two FP1 sessions in 2024 – ahead of his debut race in Australia next month.

Mercedes, though, has acknowledged that Antonelli’s meteoric ascent to F1 will ensure that more accidents like his crash at Monza will be a sporadic occurrence through 2025.

But while the German marque’s attention is on ensuring he is up to speed once new rules are introduced in 2026, Antonelli is striving to be on the pace from the outset.

Antonelli has acknowledged that a steep learning curve awaits, but he’s denied that he has additional pressure on his shoulders from taking the seat an all-time great held.

“First of all, we’ll see in the first race how I feel, also speed-wise and how I adapt as well, but of course, it is a big seat,” Antonelli told RacingNews365.

“But I don’t feel like the replacement of Lewis, I just feel like the next Mercedes driver, but it is a big responsibility because I am racing for Mercedes, it is a great opportunity and I’ll try to make the best out of it.

“My mindset is going to be the one of going [to Australia] and try to win, but at the same time, you have to be realistic.

“I’m racing against the other 19 best drivers in the world, so it is not going to be easy, but I am just focused on the work I have to do, trying to do the best job possible, learn as much as possible and see where we end up.

“I’m just focusing on the day-by-day, on the preparation I have to do with the team, and with [race engineer Peter Bonnington].

“It is going well and I’m really looking forward to the first race.”

Russell backed to be suitable partner to Antonelli

Antonelli will partner George Russell, who has acknowledged that his role within the team has changed as he begins his seventh season in the sport and fourth at Mercedes.

The Briton is endeavouring to build upon a promising campaign as he outqualified Hamilton 18 times in 24 rounds en route to outscoring his illustrious compatriot in 2024.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is convinced that Russell has all the tools to win a title in the right car and believes that he will serve to provide a strong benchmark for Antonelli.

“George has it all that you need to be a World Champion,” Wolff told Sky Sports.

“He (Russell) has developed and matured and that is clearly something that Kimi is going to benefit.

“And for George, I mean, Kimi has raw speed and talent. We wouldn’t have taken him otherwise. So these two are going to push each other and that’s good.”

READ MORE – Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli’s F2 experience will help him navigate F1 hardships

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Mercedes believes the challenges Andrea Kimi Antonelli endured in Formula 2 in 2024 have better prepared him to deal with tough moments in his rookie Formula 1 campaign.

Having missed out on an audacious move to sign Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Mercedes elected to promote Antonelli to the seat that Lewis Hamilton has vacated to go to Ferrari.

The news that Hamilton would be departing almost 12 months ago triggered Mercedes to put Antonelli through a rigorous F1 testing schedule last term to assess his credentials.

The Italian dovetailed his sole F2 season with trips to various European venues to run previous Mercedes cars, amounting to an estimated 9000 kilometres in total mileage.

Meanwhile, Antonelli also participated in two FP1 sessions using the 2024 Mercedes, showing scintillating speed at Monza until he crashed the W15 on his second push lap.

Mercedes announced Antonelli will partner George Russell later that weekend, though, capping a meteoric rise that has seen him not spend longer than a season in a series.

But while the pressure will be greater as he embarks upon his F1 debut with a team harbouring title aspirations, Mercedes is certain Antonelli has the attributes to excel.

Among those traits are his adaptability, an asset he will need to depend upon in F1 and one that made him stand out to Mercedes Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue.

“With Kimi I noticed quite quickly he was already a bit different than other kids in karting,” Lagrue told Autosport.

“But back then my thought was: ‘Okay, he’s the best one I can have in go-karts’, not even thinking about Formula 1.

“Then when we did the first test in single-seaters, the way he adapted himself so quickly to pretty much every situation you started seeing that you have someone very special.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean he has everything. You still need to work a lot to help him to grow, to guide him, to also let him make mistakes. It’s part of the learning process.

“And then, to me, Formula Regional has developed quite well recently in terms of driver preparation and we have seen over the years that all the kids coming from it – or before when it was called Formula Renault Eurocup – to F3 or F2; they were performing, and they were most of the time the ones winning.

“So, when Kimi did perform that well in FRECA, I was not super convinced at that time that first going to F3 will develop him more, and I wanted also to put himself In a situation where eventually he could face more challenges, and sending him to F2, of course, it required a bit of preparation.

“But it was also to put him into an environment where he had to find some personal limit he never faced before. I’m not saying that he won always easily, but kind of.

“He was always dominating, and he was always the one to beat, rather than the one chasing someone, even if we had some good competitors, like [Ferrari Junior Rafael] Camara, for example, or a few others, he was on top of everything.

“So by doing that, we were making sure that first he will learn the new F2 with the idea of eventually doing another year of F2 if it was challenging, or depending on the situation in F1, make sure that at least we will accelerate his preparation to Formula 1. Of course, he was confirming what we were thinking series after series, let’s say.”

Antonelli’s character-building F2 campaign

Despite skipping Formula 3, Antonelli was tipped to hit the ground running in F2 with Prema, a team which has helped several drivers to F1 with the title in the second tier.

But the Italian marque struggled with the all-new F2 car introduced in 2024, leaving Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, now in F1 with Haas, powerless to log the results expected.

Antonelli’s standalone season in the series at least comprised two wins, enough to see him place sixth, three spots above team-mate Bearman in his sophomore campaign.

However, it was Antonelli’s response to the setbacks that impressed Mercedes more and assured the German marque that he can survive the hardships to come in F1.

“I would say that normally you have a certain consistency in terms of teams leading F2, so we know that Prema, ART, Carlin, or a few others are the teams you have to work with if you want to deliver in F2,” Lagrue explained. “But the new F2 actually brought some new challenges, and we have seen that the big teams were not adapting that well to F2.

“Prema was performing super well and had top engineers. We put Kimi in there thinking, we will put him in a very strong environment, and we will normally deliver strong results. And it appears that we struggled a little bit.

“But in a way, it was also very interesting because having Kimi dealing with such challenges made us discover part of him we haven’t seen before. We had to help him to deal with difficult weekends, which never happened before. He was used to winning all the time, or to fighting for the win, and this year was the first time actually he had to deal with not winning and not performing, and sometimes even have really, really tough weekends.

“And I have to say that I was very impressed with his maturity and his leadership in such a difficult situation. And at the end of the day, he has still done a very, very strong season in F2 considering all we had to deal with this year.”

READ MORE – Toto Wolff relieved Lewis Hamilton Mercedes exit avoided Max Verstappen repeat with Kimi Antonelli

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George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are poised to form an exciting Formula 1 partnership at Mercedes in 2025.

The Lewis Hamilton era at Mercedes is over and it’s arguably up to Russell to lead the Silver Arrows new age.

Russell was arguably the outstanding candidate at Mercedes last year amid Hamilton’s qualifying troubles which came amid the Three Pointed Star’s difficulties with the W15 machine.

A narrow operating window hindered Mercedes’ progress in 2024 and the team finished fourth in the Constructors’ standings with 468 points, 121 behind third-placed Red Bull and 198 behind champions McLaren.

With the last year of the rule cycle looming it’s up to Mercedes’ technical team to deliver a stronger overall package.

Mercedes’ drivers meanwhile, are a potent combination that Team Principal Toto Wolff has referred to as a combination of “experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed”.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli’s F1 free practice debut was brief but polarising. 

A P1 lap-time followed by a red-flag triggering crash at Monza. 

Still, there’s a reason why Mercedes opted for the 18-year-old and why he was able to bypass Formula 3 to contest Formula 2 last year with race-winning success at the troubled Prema outfit.

His raw speed will end finessing, and 1000s of testing miles in old-spec Mercedes F1 machines will give Antonelli a strong foundation to build upon.

Now he has to live up to the hype.

Speaking after signing his F1 contract, Antonelli said: “I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team.

“I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for.

“He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.”

George Russell

Russell out-qualified Hamilton 19 to five in 2024 and finished 22 points ahead of him in the final Drivers’ standings. 

Last year was arguably Russell’s strongest season to date and his faultless victory at Las Vegas proved it. 

Whenever Mercedes’ polarising car had pace to fight at the front, Russell was able to deliver and with Hamilton departing to Ferrari, it’s up to him to continue leading the charge at the Silver Arrows.

“I feel really pleased with my own personal performance this year,” Russell told media including Motorsport Week last December.

“I think in qualifying I’ve been performing better than ever. Whenever the car has had a chance of being on pole, we’ve been on pole. Whenever we’ve had a chance of fighting for the victory, especially since Canada [where Russell went from P1 to P3], I think that was the only race that went amiss, we’ve been in that position to take it. 

“That gives me confidence.

“If we build a car that is capable of fighting for a championship, we’ll be there to achieve it.”

READ MORE – George Russell warned Kimi Antonelli ‘can be a danger’ at Mercedes in F1 2025

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Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has warned George Russell that his new Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli “can be a danger” during the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The bombshell announcement 12 months ago that Lewis Hamilton would be going to Ferrari has seen Antonelli take the spot that he has vacated next to Russell at Mercedes. 

Russell sustained a strong campaign last time around as he out-qualified Hamilton 19 times in 24 rounds and outscored the seven-time F1 champion 245 points to 223.

The Briton is expected to take on the team leader mantle at Mercedes as Antonelli, who has accumulated around 9000km of testing in past F1 cars, navigates his debut season. 

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has moved to dampen the expectation surrounding his latest protege, citing that it would be unrealistic to anticipate immediate exploits.

However, Marko believes that Antonelli, 18, could pose an instant problem to Russell in his rookie campaign, provided that he “uses his skills well” in Mercedes’ W15 challenger.

Marko highlighted Antonelli’s maiden appearance on a race weekend at last term’s Italian Grand Prix where he set the timing screens alight prior to his big shunt.

“We saw it [Antonelli’s talent] at Monza, although I don’t understand why they put him in the car on that circuit,” Marko told Sport.de.

“He was very fast on his first three laps, but on the fourth lap, he went into the barriers.

“I think if he uses his skills well, which he has, he can be a danger to Russell.”

Wolff explained how Antonelli’s promotion revolved around his desire to not lose him to the same circumstances that saw him miss out on Max Verstappen to Red Bull in 2014. 

But Marko thinks Mercedes has taken more “risk” with Antonelli than Red Bull did with Verstappen as he will begin his F1 career with a team tipped to be at the sharp end.

He added: “Antonelli is a risk, but we also took that risk with Verstappen in the past.

“Max was very young when he got into that car. But in his case, he wasn’t in a top team [he started with Red Bull’s sister squad] so he had less pressure.”

Rosberg suspects ‘shootout’ at Mercedes

Wolff reignited his interest in Verstappen last season amid rumours that the turbulent situation at Red Bull might trigger the Dutchman to pursue a switch elsewhere. 

Despite Verstappen remaining put, Wolff revealed talks had taken place between the two parties as he expressed confidence that its “path will cross” with Verstappen.

With Mercedes poised to make a move should Verstappen hint that he is open to a change, Nico Rosberg has claimed that Russell’s position in the team isn’t secure.

The 2016 F1 champion suspects the upcoming campaign will turn into a “shootout” between Russell and Antonelli in case the German marque acquires Verstappen.  

“George Russell is not safe at all because Toto still wants Max and he will try again for 2026 because ‘give up’ does not appear in Toto’s vocabulary,” the German said.

“If Max does become available – and I do think it’s a possibility – then it is a shootout between George and Kimi next year.

“And it’s a lot of pressure on George because he really has everything to lose next year.

“He should be the one ahead internally because Kimi is 18 and he’s completely new and in a full-pressure situation. It’s not an easy situation there for George.”

Mercedes poaching Verstappen at Russell’s expense could lead Red Bull to sign the Briton, with Christian Horner admitting that he “would be foolish” to rule out a swoop.

READ MORE – Mercedes to begin post-Lewis Hamilton era without traditional F1 car launch

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