Andrea Kimi Antonelli has completed his maiden Formula 1 test with Mercedes in Austria as speculation persists that he is being lined up for the team’s vacant 2025 seat.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has named Antonelli, 17, as one name that is under consideration to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is departing to Ferrari next season.
Antonelli has been associated with the Mercedes Junior Team since 2018 and has leapt from Formula Regional European Championship to Formula 2 for this campaign.
Wolff confirmed at Suzuka earlier this month that Antonelli would get behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time at the Red Bull Ring, home to the Austrian Grand Prix.
While testing rules permit the teams to run their 2022 cars – the first designed for the current ground effect regulations – Antonelli drove the title-winning W12 from 2021.
Wolff had revealed that Mercedes was intent on allowing Antonelli to sample a competitive machine amid the German marque’s struggles since the rules revamp in 2022.
Mercedes rented out the Red Bull Ring for two days but the first of those was disrupted as unexpected snow meant that the team had to suspend its planned programme.
“Hello guys, first day done in an F1 car. It’s been an incredible experience. I loved every second of it,” Antonelli said on a video that Mercedes posted to its social channels.
“And yeah, first day didn’t go as planned. We got some snow, unfortunately, so we couldn’t really drive. But yeah, second day was dry and quite a lot of laps.
“And yeah, it was really good fun. I want to thank all the team for all the hard work and yeah, excited for what’s coming.”
Wolff revealed in Japan that Antonelli will have more chances to test an F1 car in the coming months as it assesses his credentials for a promotion to F1 for next term.
“The programme of Kimi driving Formula 1 has been in place for a long time and hasn’t changed massively over the last few weeks,” Wolff expressed.
“What we have done is added more days, but what you will see in the next few months has been in place, whether or not he’s going to sit in a Formula 1 car next year.”
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