For boss Toto Wolff, it’s private selling Andrea Kimi Antonelli to a System 1 race seat with the Silver Arrows squad at simply 18.
Wolff is viewing Antonelli’s sensational rise by the junior formulation as the possibility to place proper what went unsuitable in Mercedes lacking out on ’s providers again in 2014.
Motorsport.com understands that the Austrian even feels that, had Verstappen been beneath his wing as Antonelli is now, then the outbursts and incidents which have tracked by the world champion’s profession would’ve been decreased in quantity, if not eradicated altogether.
Understanding Wolff is a vital side of Antonelli’s story up to now – simply in the future away from making his first official F1 race weekend look as a full-time driver. A Monza one-off in entrance of his dwelling Italian crowd this isn’t.
Wolff signed Antonelli – the son of GT racer Marco Antonelli who owns AKM Motorsport racing crew and has a tricky man status in motorsport circles – again in 2018 when he was simply 12. A growth programme with F1 as the final word vacation spot adopted, with Wolff now thought-about a agency buddy of the Antonelli household.
As a a number of karting champion, Antonelli stepped as much as automobile racing in System 4 in 2021 – profitable the Italian and ADAC championships the next 12 months. Then in 2023 and simply his first season, Antonelli gained the System Regional European championship that F1 groups have come to view as the most effective breeding floor for future driving success, in addition to its Center East variation.
Mercedes opted to skip the F3 step on the F1 help invoice and place Antonelli instantly in System 2 for 2024 – with the intention for the famously precarious championship to cease his ‘profitable straightforward’ streak.
How F1 drivers are dealing with the strain on the Australian Grand Prix
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“Winter preparation has been fairly intense. I have been spending a whole lot of time on the manufacturing unit attempting to do a whole lot of crew constructing. However, to this point, it has been actually attention-grabbing and it is gone effectively.
“I have been actually attempting to focus, day-to-day, on the progress and attempting to concentrate on attempting to be taught as many issues as attainable. As a result of what I need to keep away from is arriving to Melbourne and having some dangerous surprises. So positively preparation has been fairly intense, however superb.”
Pre-season testing in 2025 went effectively for Mercedes, with Antonelli’s day two race simulation shading Ferrari’s by simply 0.1s every lap on common.
However, Antonelli left Bahrain lamenting a scarcity of preparation in extracting the most effective from the Pirelli tyres in qualifying on account of time misplaced in sudden rain after which a battery difficulty. Qualifying is, in spite of everything, considered one of his new team-mate Russell’s best strengths.
“For the lengthy runs, I received fairly an honest understanding as a result of I have been doing a whole lot of lengthy runs and been experiencing various kinds of approaches,” he stated. “[For example,] the way to introduce the tyre into the run.
“While for qualifying, there’s nonetheless some work to do.
“Nevertheless it’s primarily due to testing we have been attempting a whole lot of totally different approaches with tyres. Additionally totally different form of out-laps as a way to see how the tyres react and the way it holds on through the lap.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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However, pretty much as good as Bahrain went for the Silver Arrows squad, Ferrari and Pink Bull are anticipated to have maintained their positions above Mercedes within the four-way scrap with .
This implies Antonelli will probably be doing his studying within the glare of the media highlight to which solely Liam Lawson will have the ability to relate of the large rookie crop this season.
It additionally means Antonelli is prone to be retreading the bottom of studying to win at a brand new and even harder stage. And, ought to there be any repeats of his 2024 Monza FP1 shunting, then it’s probably Wolff might want to decide his cost up simply as he did at vital occasions final 12 months.
“Once we determined to go for Kimi, it was clear that we’re going for a younger driver that has proven large potential within the junior collection since we have identified him,” Wolff stated in Melbourne on Thursday.
“For Kimi, it is concerning the time to develop, to be taught the tracks, to be on high for subsequent 12 months, the regulation change. Meaning nice outcomes and meaning moments the place it will be tougher.”
Pictures from Australian GP – ThursdayJack Doohan, Alpine
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
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Ferrari followers
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Ayao Komatsu, Group Principal, Haas F1 Group with conventional performers
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes with Charlie Curnow
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes on the Press Convention
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Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
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Jack Doohan, Alpine
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Pink Bull Racing prepares for a pit cease
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Jack Doohan, Alpine
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