Kimi Antonelli will become the third youngest driver in Formula 1 history when he competes for Mercedes at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix next month.
The 18-year-old driver is making the big step from PREMA’s Formula 2 team to Mercedes ahead of major changes with the 2026 F1 regulations.
It permits Antonelli to go through a season of risk-free trial and error before the stakes are raised and the pressure is ramped up for a possible double championship battle.
He will partner the experienced George Russell, who is viewed as a dark horse candidate for this year’s drivers’ championship.
Antonelli wants to learn a lot from Mercedes teammate Russell, who is promoted to the team leader role after three seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Together, they are tasked with leading Mercedes back to the top, after struggling with the current era of technical regulations.
Kimi Antonelli’s father hid him inside a ‘stack of tyres’ to get into the paddock at the 2014 German Grand Prix
Antonelli has been destined for Formula 1 ever since Mercedes signed him to their junior programme back in April 2019.
Mercedes were impressed with how Antonelli dealt with a really tough problem during his 2024 Formula 2 campaign, as PREMA were far slower than anticipated.
It shows that he is strong in the face of adversity and won’t be afraid of a challenge. Turning a big operation like Mercedes around is a massive job for an 18-year-old.
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Speaking to the Mercedes website, he revealed how his father had to sneak him into the paddock for his first taste of the area at the 2014 German Grand Prix.
“It was Hockenheim in 2014. I couldn’t get into the paddock because I was too little,” he said. “My Dad decided to hide me inside a stack of tyres and wheel me through on a trolley. We put an umbrella on top to make me harder to see!
“I got through and into the pit lane, and my dad’s friend got me a pass. I had a look around for an hour and it was such a cool experience – but we always laugh at the story of the trolley.”
Toto Wolff’s Kimi Antonelli prediction for his Mercedes F1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has been very supportive of the young Italian from the moment he climbed into the cockpit during practice for the Italian Grand Prix last season.
A heavy crash in that session was a minor setback in his preparation for a drive, and Wolff made one prediction for Antonelli’s Mercedes F1 debut. He said that expectations were ‘low’ for his first campaign.
Judging by the Brackley-based outfit’s performance in 2024, they should be able to give their new star driver a chance to compete for victory this season.
READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli explains the ‘really important’ goal he’s been set by Mercedes in 2025
With it being the final year of the current technical regulations, it’s expected to be one of the closest seasons in recent history.
Helmut Marko has warned Antonelli will be in danger at Mercedes if he tries to ‘force it’, but he will be aware that he has time to develop his skillset.
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