Mercedes will be waiting with bated breath when the red lights go out for the first time at Albert Park in March to see if one of the biggest gambles they’ve taken in their Formula 1 history will pay off.
Team principal Toto Wolff discovered 12 months ago that his star driver Lewis Hamilton would be moving on to join rivals Ferrari in 2025.
It gave Wolff plenty of time to decide on his replacement for the seven-time world champion with plenty of drivers very keen on stepping into his seat.
Max Verstappen was linked with Mercedes but ultimately decided to stick with Red Bull.
Wolff didn’t rule out a move for Carlos Sainz but he’s now preparing for a season with midfield hopefuls Williams.
This left Mercedes with only one option and an exciting but risky one at that: Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
There are six drivers beginning their first full Formula 1 season in 2025, but Antonelli’s arrival is arguably the most intriguing.
He’s replacing a Formula 1 legend, has had by far the most accelerated rise through the ranks to reach F1 and could have a race-winning car at his disposal from the opening race.
However, in an interview with AMuS, Wolff has acted quickly to downplay expectations on the teenager at the Australian Grand Prix to try and take some pressure off Antonelli.
Toto Wolff has low expectations for Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead of his Mercedes F1 debut
Wolff was asked how much of a risk promoting Antonelli this season was and replied: “If you expect him to be on pole position in Melbourne, win the race and immediately fight for the championship, then the risk is high because that won’t happen.
“If we approach it in such a way that the boy is 18 years old, very talented, but of course has to grow into it first and will make mistakes, then the risk is limited.
“That’s why we’re doing it. We see 2025 as a transition year and want to prepare him for 2026.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff
When asked how he would manage expectations surrounding Antonelli, Wolff continued: “By warning all our shareholders not to believe that the good test results will simply be translated into the race.”
Antonelli has already completed 9,000km in testing and on Wednesday took part in a run at Jerez in a 2020 Mercedes F1 car to continue his preparations.
Wolff was then asked if the term ‘prodigy’ was justified when it came to the teenager and concluded: “He will only be a child prodigy when he actually delivers the performance in Formula 1.
“We hope that happens sooner rather than later, but certainly not right at the beginning.”
Kimi Antonelli will have Mercedes teammate George Russell in his sights this season
There are few drivers on the grid who would prove to be a tougher benchmark for Antonelli than George Russell.
The Brit comfortably won his head-to-head against Hamilton in qualifying and finished above him in the Drivers’ Championship.
While Hamilton and Russell both struggled with an inconsistent car, Russell appeared more capable of driving around its issues.
READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats
Russell’s feud with Max Verstappen is an interesting storyline that will bubble away at the beginning of the campaign.
He has plenty to prove and Antonelli will know that if he can match Russell’s performance levels as quickly as possible, that will take the pressure off him and suddenly shine the spotlight on his more experienced teammate.
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