Mercedes believe they have the new Max Verstappen in Lewis Hamilton’s successor, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, yet Flavio Briatore thinks they let ‘one of the best’ talents go.
The Silver Arrows will run a new driver line-up next season with Antonelli graduating into F1 as the teammate of George Russell, with Hamilton joining Ferrari in 2025. Mercedes elected to name the Italian as the Briton’s successor as they feared Antonelli escaping their clutches.
Mercedes have backed Antonelli since April 2019 whilst the 18-year-old was lifting title upon title in go-karts. The Brackley bunch believe greatly in the Bologna boy’s potential, and many at Mercedes – including team principal Toto Wolff – believe Antonelli is the next Verstappen.
Flavio Briatore thinks new Alpine F1 reserve driver Paul Aron is ‘one of the best’ young drivers
Yet Alpine executive adviser Briatore feels his Enstone outfit have just hired ‘one of the best’ young drivers to be their new 2025 Formula 1 reserve driver in Paul Aron. The Estonian was even a Mercedes junior until one year ago as the Silver Arrows axed him in November 2023.
Aron joined the Mercedes driver academy in July 2019, three months after they also signed Antonelli. He was driving in the Italian and ADAC Formula 4 championships at the time. But they released the 20-year-old in 2023, despite his impressive rookie campaign in Formula 3.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore? Everything to know
Alpine have now swooped to sign Aron as their 2025 Formula 1 reserve driver after enjoying a superb debut season in Formula 2. He replaces Jack Doohan in the role with the Australian becoming an F1 race driver at Alpine next year, taking up Haas-bound Esteban Ocon’s drive.
Briatore believes Alpine have signed a future Formula 1 driver in Aron – hinting at the talent Mercedes let slip through their fingers 12 months ago. Alpine also confirmed Aron’s capture one day after he secured pole position for the F2 Feature Race at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
“We are very pleased to have Paul join BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team as our 2025 reserve driver,” said Briatore.
“There is a generational shift in Formula 1 at the moment as we see with many young drivers coming into the sport and making an impact. We believe Paul is one of the best talents, and we look forward to developing him into an F1 driver.”
Mercedes let new Alpine reserve Paul Aron leave to back Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Aron likely has Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes to thank for the F2 racer securing his new job as an F1 reserve driver. Oakes signed Aron for Hitech Grand Prix, a team he founded, for the 2024 F2 season and saw the Estonian emerge as an early title threat in his debut season.
Oakes gave Aron his promotion to F2 after finishing third in the 2023 F3 standings and losing Mercedes’ backing. He quickly justified that promotion with a Feature Race podium in round one at the Bahrain Grand Prix and even got on to the rostrum in four of the first seven races.
READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats
A dip in form since Formula 2 supported the British Grand Prix has taken Aron out of the mix for the title against 2025 Sauber F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto plus Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar. But Oakes, Briatore and Alpine believe in the potential that Mercedes let walk out their door.
Mercedes released Aron to make Antonelli their top junior star, without at the time knowing Hamilton would join Ferrari. But the Italian was proving to be a star they had to love with his 2022 Italian and ADAC F4 titles plus 2023 Formula Regional European and Middle East titles.
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