Andrea Kimi Antonelli is stepping into one of the most coveted seats in Formula 1—replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes—but the team is confident that his challenging Formula 2 season has hardened him for the road ahead.
After failing to lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull, Mercedes made the bold decision to fast-track Antonelli into the second seat alongside George Russell. The Italian teenager hasn’t spent more than a season in any series, and skipped Formula 3 entirely, making his promotion one of the most accelerated in modern F1 history.
But Mercedes insists his struggles in F2 in 2024 were exactly what he needed to prepare for the unforgiving world of Formula 1.
The High-Stakes Gamble: Antonelli’s Rapid Rise to F1
Since Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari, Mercedes has been meticulously testing Antonelli’s abilities through an intense private F1 testing program, racking up an estimated 9,000 kilometers in previous-generation Mercedes cars.
The 18-year-old also made two FP1 appearances in the 2024 W15, impressing with his raw speed at Monza—until he crashed on his second push lap.
Still, Mercedes had seen enough and confirmed Antonelli’s meteoric rise to F1 shortly after.
According to Mercedes Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue, Antonelli’s adaptability is what made him stand out.
“With Kimi, I noticed quite quickly he was already a bit different than other kids in karting,” Lagrue told Autosport.
“Back then, my thought was: ‘Okay, he’s the best one I can have in go-karts.’ Not even thinking about Formula 1. But when we did the first test in single-seaters, the way he adapted so quickly to pretty much every situation—you started seeing that you have someone very special.”
Why Mercedes Skipped F3 for Antonelli
Antonelli was fast-tracked directly to Formula 2 with Prema, a team with a strong history of developing future F1 stars.
Mercedes made this decision deliberately, believing that F2 would expose Antonelli to adversity he had never faced before.
“He was always dominating, always the one to beat,” Lagrue explained.
“Sending him to F2 required a bit of preparation, but it was also to put him in an environment where he had to find some personal limits he had never faced before.”
The gamble did not immediately pay off.
- Prema struggled with the all-new F2 car in 2024, making Antonelli and teammate Oliver Bearman (now in F1 with Haas) powerless to fight for the championship.
- Antonelli finished sixth overall, managing two race wins, but Mercedes wasn’t concerned about the numbers.
Instead, what impressed them was how Antonelli handled failure for the first time.
“This year was the first time he had to deal with not winning and not performing,” Lagrue admitted. “And sometimes even having really, really tough weekends.”
Why F2 Struggles Proved Antonelli is Ready for F1
Rather than seeing a fragile young driver buckle under pressure, Mercedes saw a future leader emerge.
“I was very impressed with his maturity and his leadership in such a difficult situation,” Lagrue said. “And at the end of the day, he still had a very strong season in F2, considering everything we had to deal with.”
Mercedes believes Antonelli’s ability to remain composed during adversity is what will help him in his rookie F1 season.
The team also expects that, while he won’t be competing for wins immediately, his ability to adapt quickly to new challenges—just as he did in every previous series—will allow him to develop at a rapid rate.
Will Antonelli Sink or Swim in His Rookie F1 Season?
Antonelli’s preparation for Formula 1 has been unconventional, but Mercedes firmly believes he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
While replacing Lewis Hamilton will bring enormous pressure, Antonelli has already shown that he thrives under challenges.
The 2025 season will be the true test—can Antonelli hold his own alongside George Russell and prove Mercedes was right to take a chance on him?
One thing is for sure: all eyes will be on the young Italian when he takes the grid for his F1 debut.
