18-year-old racing prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli showcased his potential in his second Formula 1 practice session for Mercedes at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Despite a rocky debut at Monza, where he crashed only minutes into his first F1 experience, Mercedes remains confident in their decision to place him alongside Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season.
This time, Antonelli handled the W15 with maturity and skill, logging 19 laps before the session was halted due to debris from Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, which caused floor damage to his car.
Reflecting on his outing, Antonelli shared, “It was definitely much better than Monza. I drove much calmer today, avoiding unnecessary risks just to complete a clean session and get a better feel for the car and tires.”
Although still holding back from the car’s full potential, Antonelli demonstrated his adaptability, quickly picking up the pace. “I wasn’t on the limit because it was my choice to prioritize a clean session. I’m happy with the progress,” he added.
The session, however, wasn’t without challenges. Antonelli ran over a significant piece of debris from Verstappen’s car, causing a red flag and damaging the floor of the W15. “I didn’t really see the debris,” he admitted, “and it was quite a setback with the floor damage, but we managed to put some good laps in the bag.”
With this solid performance under pressure, Antonelli is proving he may indeed be ready to step up as Mercedes’ next F1 star.
