Is Mercedes the right choice for Kimi Antonelli?
Kimi Antonelli could face a challenge in matching expectations at Mercedes in his debut F1 season.
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Toto Wolff (Via: Imago)
After Lewis Hamilton decided to join Ferrari next season, Mercedes were forced to find a replacement for the Briton. The Silver Arrows had no shortage of options considering the driver market for 2025. However, it seems that Toto Wolff wants to give the 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli a shot at the Brackley-based team.
Kimi Antonelli made his debut in Formula 2 this year. It was believed that the Italian driver would race at Williams before being promoted to Mercedes in the future. Nevertheless, after Hamilton’s announcement, Antonelli became the prime target for Wolff. Although the Austrian billionaire did express his interest in potentially signing Max Verstappen.
The 17-year-old had a rough start to his debut campaign in F2. Albeit, this could be credited to Prema’s struggles with the new car. However, Kimi Antonelli went on to win a race at Silverstone. This was met by Wolff publicly expressing support for the Italian. Although, fans would wonder if Mercedes is the right choice for Kimi Antonelli’s rumored F1 debut?
Kimi Antonelli will need to be up to speed from day 1 at Mercedes
Mercedes has struggled in the ground-effect era since 2022. The Silver Arrows were no longer fighting for wins even when the 2024 season started. This meant that the Brackley squad could afford having a rookie in the team. As Kimi Antonelli would not be faced by high pressure situations for victory.
However, just a few months later, the Silver Arrows have won two back-to-back races. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell seem to have the pace to challenge Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. With more upgrades in the pipeline, Mercedes is likely to be a real threat for the world title next season.
Kimi Antonelli would as such race for Mercedes at the front of the grid, a fairytale move for the Italian. However, this would force Antonelli to battle the likes of Verstappen and Norris consistently every race, something which even Sergio Perez has failed to do. On the other hand, a midfield team like Williams might’ve been a safer alternative for the start of his career. As the Italian driver could get up to speed in a more nurturing environment without the pressure of fighting at the front.
Nevertheless, Kimi Antonelli seems ready to take up the challenge of racing for Mercedes in his debut season. Although, his move to the Silver Arrows is yet to be confirmed, things seem to be in his favor. Fans would be hoping to see the 17-year-old thrive under Toto Wolff’s guidance next year.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)