Mercedes is, in fact, going bold in their quest to replace Lewis Hamilton. The 7-time champion created a big gap in the driver market with his decision to switch to Ferrari in 2025, leaving a huge task for Toto Wolff to find his replacement. In a statement following Ferrari’s announcement, the Austrian said that the team might go bold with its driver’s choice for 2025. And now, we have confirmation that Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 17-year-old Mercedes junior driver, will drive the W13 in 2024 to prepare for Formula 1.

Due to restrictions on testing with current cars, there’s limited space for F1 teams to nurture new talent. To address this, the regulations allow testing with cars that are at least two years old to allow young drivers to learn multiple tracks, and these costs don’t count toward the budget cap. Teams like Ferrari have been regularly testing with two-year-old cars at their Fiorano track. And according to a recent report from Auto Motor und Sport, this season Mercedes is also investing in its young talent as Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to undertake an intensive Formula 1 program alongside his Formula 2 commitments.

Pierre Gasly V/S Kimi Antonelli – Toto Wolff with a Conundrum on His Hands for 2025 and Beyond

The young Italian has already been touted as the next Max Verstappen in the making, and for good reason. He has left the world of Formula Racing in awe of his accomplishments.

A look at Kimi Antonelli’s meteoric rise in the Formula world

There was a lot of hype surrounding the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen as they climbed their way up to Formula 1, and the same is true for young Kimi. Antonelli began karting at the age of 8 and quickly rose through the ranks, winning an impressive 13 championships, finishing as runner-up six times, and securing third place six times, all within 8 years of his karting journey.

Antonelli made his debut in the Italian Formula 4 championship in 2021 while continuing to compete in karting. Despite joining the championship mid-season, he managed to secure a commendable 10th place and achieved three podium finishes. In the same year, he also participated in the Formula 4 UAE Championship, achieving a podium in his one and only appearance.

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However, It wasn’t until 2022 that Antonelli truly demonstrated his dominance in single-seater racing. Competing with Prema Racing in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, he claimed victory in 13 out of 20 races, clinching the championship title. He also triumphed in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship, winning nine out of 15 races, and secured victory in the FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup.

In 2023, Mercedes promoted Antonelli to the Formula Regional series, bypassing the traditional progression to Formula 3. Despite this unconventional move, Antonelli continued to excel, winning both the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and the Formula Regional European Championship. Additionally, he competed in the Italian GT Sprint Championship, claiming a victory and finishing eighth overall.

In 2024, Mercedes made yet another unconventional move by promoting Kimi straight to Formula 2, skipping Formula 3, which is a very rare progression for a junior driver. Partnering with Prema Racing alongside talented British driver and Ferrari’s junior, Oliver Bearman, Antonelli will have the opportunity to showcase his skills at a higher level of competition. It looks like Toto Wolff doesn’t want to repeat the mistake of failing to sign Max Verstappen when he was the talk of the F1 town, by preparing Kimi Antonelli for an early entry with Mercedes.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Will Toto Wolff partner Kimi Antonelli with George Russell in 2025 or will he go for a more conventional approach by signing a proven race winner?