Kimi Antonelli on how he found out about Mercedes seat after “Drive to Survive” feature

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has given insight into how he found out he had secured a Mercedes Formula 1 seat after the moment featured in the seventh season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive.

The popular docuseries is known to use its creative licence and enjoy the perks of clever editing. So naturally, the Italian driver was asked to clarify if the scenes in the show accurately portrayed how he found out he would be taking the place left by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking ahead of the 2025 F1 season-opener in Australia, the 18-year-old explained:

“I was at home with my parents and I made this video call and there were Toto, James Allison, Bradley, all the ‘big’ ones. Toto got straight to the point and said to me: ‘I don’t want to make you wait, next year you will be our F1 driver.’

“I didn’t sleep that night, I spent two hours staring at the ceiling. Relationship with Toto? He’s a great person and I’m happy to have a person like him by my side.”

It seems the huge moment in Antonelli’s career was accurately portrayed in Drive to Survive Season 7. 

On the other hand, four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen felt that the production team wrongly made him out to be upset after the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, but he says that is completely false. The Dutchman explained during a recent Twitch stream:

“Apparently I was very upset after Miami,” he said, laughing. “I literally had the best time ever Sunday night, so I don’t know what I was upset about.”

Drive to Survive Season 7 was released to Netflix on 7 March. The seventh instalment includes the top storylines of the 2024 F1 season, including Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes after 12 years to join Ferrari, McLaren’s intense battle with Red Bull for the constructors’ championship, and the investigation into Red Bull team chief Christian Horner.

The 2025 F1 season kicks off this week with the Australian Grand Prix which is closely followed the Chinese Grand Prix the week after.