Few Formula 1 rookies have been thrust into the intense situation that Andrea Kimi Antonelli is about to find himself in very soon.
The young Italian has two events left in Formula 2 before he turns his focus to driving for one of the biggest brands in the world – Mercedes.
Added pressure comes with the fact that he is replacing the legendary seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, at a time when the team are performing at their worst in over a decade.
It’s now the 18-year-olds job to help lead them back to the promised land alongside new teammate George Russell from 2025.
David Coulthard has been ‘very impressed’ with Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes tests
Only twice in the last 20 years has the sport seen a driver thrust into such a big team, with Hamilton at McLaren in 2007, and reigning champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2016.
Both of those moves paid off with world championships eventually, and Antonelli’s ‘phenomenal’ support network may leave him the best prepared of all three.
Having conducted multiple tests in older Silver Arrows machinery, David Coulthard has been really impressed with how Mercedes are gearing him up for life in Formula 1.
“Interestingly I heard that when we were talking about Abu Dhabi, that Antonelli has been testing at Abu Dhabi in a couple of year-old Mercedes,” Coulthard said on the Formula For Success podcast.
“He’s also tested in Bahrain, I’m going to assume that he’s tested at various other tracks. He’s understandably, and all credit to Mercedes for this, that whilst he’s turning up at races and learning how the team operates during a grand prix.
“They’re making sure that he’s going to be possibly the best-prepared rookie on the grid. That’s pretty impressive, but that’s a fair old investment as well.”
Can Antonelli claim a win in his first season?
For all the German manufacturers have been comfortably the fourth-fastest car on average this season, they have shown flashes of brilliance.
Particularly in the summer portion of the calendar, they excelled at some of the historic events such as the British Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix.
They only need to replicate that sort of form a few times again next year, and Antonelli’s exceptional talents should lead him to a position where he is fighting the likes of Verstappen and Lando Norris.
READ MORE: Mercedes now told how Kimi Antonelli’s arrival in 2025 as Lewis Hamilton replacement could cause ‘unrest’
Expectations aren’t going to be sky-high in his rookie year, with things ramping up in time for the new technical regulations in 2026.
If Mercedes can win a few races though, and place their rivals under pressure, it might just leave Ferrari regretting missing out on Antonelli back in his karting days.
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