Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been heralded as the “best driver in an F3 car since Max Verstappen” amid rumours he could be promoted to a Mercedes Formula 1 seat in 2025.
Mercedes is in the process of identifying who will partner George Russell at the team next season after the stunning revelation that Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff touted that the Briton’s exit could be a chance to do something “bold”, with some perceiving that as Antonelli being in contention for the drive.
The Italian, who has been aligned with Mercedes since 2018, has swept all before him through karting and the single-seater categories he has competed in to date.
Despite only turning 17 last August, Antonelli has made the step up to Formula 2 in 2024 after triumphing in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine last year.
Ex-F1 driver Karun Chandhok has revealed that engineers he spoke to at a private test event compared Antonelli’s talent to that of current three-time champion Verstappen, who progressed into the top flight at 17 after a solitary season of car racing in Formula 3.
“From everything I hear of Antonelli, he’s pretty damn special,” Chandhok posted on his X, formerly known as Twitter, platform.
“Spoke with the F3 engineers who ran him recently on a private test day. Said he was the best driver in an F3 car since [Max] Verstappen! McLaren gamble with rookie Lewis [Hamilton] in 2007 worked out.”
Antonelli will embark upon his maiden F2 campaign with the Prema team alongside Ferrari prospect Oliver Bearman, who will drive in six FP1 sessions with Haas in 2024.
Although Wolff failed to rule Antonelli out of the running for the Mercedes vacancy, he insisted that he didn’t want to distract the highly-rated youngster from his F2 duties.
“Kimi has been with Mercedes since he was 11. He’s been in the junior programme and his career was very successful,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week.
“I think most important at that stage is he focuses on F2. If we start to spin his mind or unleash rumours that’s not going to help his F2 campaign.
“He’s just stepped out of karts a few years ago. He’s not even 18. I would rather not start any speculation about Kimi going into F1 at this stage.”
Russell also graduated into F1 as a member of the Mercedes Junior Team, but he spent three seasons with Williams before being promoted to the marque’s senior operation.
The Briton’s arrival coincided with the German outfit’s dominance of the sport coming to an end after an unprecedented run of eight consecutive Constructors’ titles.
However, Russell has been responsible for Mercedes’ sole win under the latest ground effect regulations, prevailing over team-mate Hamilton at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
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