A Formula 1 seat is the pinnacle of success in motorsports. Even with the abundance of other series—prestigious and otherwise—being an F1 pilot means you have reached an achievement of a lifetime.
The competition is tight, and talent won’t always mean you’ll have an edge—there’s a multitude of outside factors needed in order to acquire a coveted seat. And just how hard it is to get there, it is as easy for one to fizzle out and lose a drive altogether.
That is why Mercedes Junior Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli, despite excitement and anticipation of being a candidate to replace the departing Lewis Hamilton, is careful not to get ahead of himself.
According to Formula 1 2024 news, the 17-year-old F2 driver is solely focused on this year’s Formula 2 championships, but with obvious hope that the eight-time Constructors’ champions will consider him as the Brit’s successor.
Currently, Antonelli is seventh in the F2 standings, having registered a sprint race win at Silverstone and a feature race victory at Budapest.
Close ties with the boss
Politics is heavy in Formula 1. The sport, aside from being known for high-speed action and roaring engines (at least back in the day), is also a bedrock for businessmen, politicians and the like to discuss whatever and whenever. As I mentioned, skill isn’t enough to get you by; this sport is ruthless, and you have to be with the right people.
Luckily for Antonelli, Toto Wolff is his buddy.
In one of his recent interviews, he revealed how huge of a help Wolff has been, pushing him towards greater things despite Prema’s lacklustre campaign so far.
“I am very happy with the relationship I have [with Wolff]. In difficult moments I ask him for advice and he always looks for a way to give me confidence. I’ll give you an example. After the disappointing qualifying in Silverstone, I called him because it was a bit of a tough time. We talked a lot and that conversation gave me back my confidence, and the next day I won and it was really nice to see him under the podium,” he said.
Antonelli has been with the Mercedes Junior Program since 2019. He’s seen first-hand the dominance of a well-oiled Mercedes machine. Obviously, they’re not mopping the floor with everyone now as they did back then, but they remain as one of the sport’s best competitors.
So for a young Antonelli, earning a Mercedes drive would be the culmination of his career. For a lot, if not all, the goal is to be there—to make it.
All the other awards, if you’d consider the grand scheme of things, are just bonuses.
Antonelli is quick
It matters not if Antonelli is struggling in the F2 championships—there’s only four races left and he’s a long way from the top.
But his raw speed speaks for itself. And if he will indeed be George Russell’s running mate come next year, then SBOTOP Formula 1 fans can expect him to fly.
Mercedes execs have been lauding the young Italian’s skill, with Mercedes Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin calling him ‘naturally gifted.’
“He’s got a very impressive CV for someone so young, and no doubt he’ll have a bright future. But he looks like one of those naturally gifted talents that everyone’s trying to find,” Shovlin said.
And Mercedes know a thing or two about wonderkids.
Antonelli, despite bypassing Formula 3, has racked up titles from different organisations. He had won the Italian F4 and ADAC F4 titles back in 2022. He also won the Formula Regional Middle East and the European Championships.
Clearly, he’s shown and done enough for the Silver Arrows to consider him.
It is a daunting responsibility to drive for one of the sport’s winningest teams, so putting their marbles on a 17-year-old means they trust his ability to be quick when it matters.
Formula 1 is still on a break and will resume its festivities on August 25 in Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Mercedes are currently on a roll, winning three of the last four races. But on raw pace, they’re still lagging behind Red Bull and McLaren. So, don’t expect the Formula 1 2024 odds to swing heavily on their favour next time around.
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