Anthony Davidson has shared his bold prediction for the 2025 Formula 1 season ahead
of the paddock heading for the Australian Grand Prix to kick the year off in Melbourne.
The travelling circus of Formula 1 is kicking the new term off at the Australian GP for the first time since 2019. F1 was set to hold its opening round in Melbourne in 2020, as well, but had to cancel the race on the eve of cars hitting Albert Park’s roads amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Albert Park has seen many drivers make their Formula 1 debuts at the Australian Grand Prix over the years, including Alex Albon, Lando Norris and George Russell in 2019. This year will see Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto earn their debuts in Australia.
Anthony Davidson’s bold 2025 F1 prediction is Andrea Kimi Antonelli wins the Italian GP
Mercedes gave Antonelli a £1.5m-a-year contract only for the 2025 season as team principal Toto Wolff backed one of the Silver Arrows’ own to replace Lewis Hamilton after he defected to Ferrari. Antonelli will become the third-youngest driver to start any F1 race in Melbourne.
READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats
| POS | DRIVER | AGE AT DEBUT | TEAM | RACE |
| 10 | Esteban Tuero | 19 years, 10 months, 14 days | Minardi | 1998 Australian Grand Prix |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | 19 years, 7 months, 3 days | Minardi | 2001 Australian Grand Prix |
| 8 | Ricardo Rodriguez | 19 years, 6 months, 27 days | Ferrari | 1961 Italian Grand Prix |
| 7 | Mike Thackwell | 19 years, 5 months, 29 days | Tyrrell | 1980 Canadian Grand Prix |
| 6 | Lando Norris | 19 years, 4 months, 4 days | McLaren | 2019 Australian Grand Prix |
| 5 | Jaime Alguersuari | 19 years, 4 months, 3 days | Toro Rosso | 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix |
| 4 | Oliver Bearman | 18 years, 10 months, 1 day | Ferrari | 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix |
| 3 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli* | 18 years, six months, 19 days old | Mercedes | 2025 Australian Grand Prix |
| 2 | Lance Stroll | 18 years, 4 months, 25 days | Williams | 2017 Australian Grand Prix |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | 17 years, 5 months, 13 days | Toro Rosso | 2015 Australian Grand Prix |
But while Wolff does not expect Antonelli to win in Australia as the 18-year-old joins F1 after one year in F2, Davidson has picked the Bologna boy to win the Italian Grand Prix as his bold prediction for the 2025 F1 season. F1 heads to Monza for round 16 of 24 on September 5-7.
Davidson told Sky Sports his bold prediction for the 2025 F1 season is, “Young Kimi Antonelli wins the race for Mercedes in Monza. How about that one?”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli can be the first Italian to win their home Grand Prix since 1966
Antonelli crashed on his F1 weekend debut at Monza last year as Mercedes gifted the Italian a taste of Grand Prix life in George Russell’s car just days before confirming he would replace Hamilton. The teenager tried to take far too much speed into Parabolica and he lost the rear.
While it showed that he was immediately comfortable driving in an F1 car, Antonelli crashed multiple times during Mercedes’ private tests as they pushed to have the Italian as prepared as possible for 2025. Davidson will hope his crashes dial out before F1 heads back to Monza.
READ MORE: The most successful F1 drivers at the Italian Grand Prix of all time at Monza
It would certainly be an emotional feat if Antonelli was to win the 2025 Italian Grand Prix as a rookie for Mercedes. An Italian has not won their home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti won at Monza in 1966. Giancarlo Fisichella is also the last Italian to win an F1 Grand Prix in 2006.
Antonelli is also already a huge fans’ favourite in Italy, as was evident with the cheers which greeted him around Monza from the first moment he exited the pit lane for FP1 last season. Few drivers bar Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz earned a reception like Antonelli.
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