Kimi Antonelli has embarked on his Formula 1 testing journey, clocking laps in the Mercedes W12. Mercedes is closely watching Antonelli as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who will be joining Ferrari in 2025. Mercedes is using 2021 machinery to get a full picture of Antonelli's skills before making a choice. Antonelli drove the W12 for two days at the Red Bull Ring, where the first round of testing took place. Before ground effect rules came into effect in 2022, Mercedes' car designs reached their pinnacle with the W12. It's also the last car that Mercedes used to win a championship. Hamilton worked hard, but in a nail-biting finish in Abu Dhabi, he couldn't get the title.
Kimi Antonelli said, “It’s been an incredible experience, it was really great to feel the power and downforce. I loved every second of it. It was really good fun and I want to thank all the team for all their hard work. We did some sim work and ran through some important things ahead of the day. That was really useful because once I was out on track, I knew what the team was telling me on the radio. I have learned a lot in these two days, things which will be really helpful when I go back to F2. But I need to keep working, and keep improving too.”
F1: Other Driver Option for Mercedes
Many people thought that Fernando Alonso would try to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025, but the Spaniard has instead signed a new deal with Aston Martin that keeps him with the team until 2026.
Toto Wolff, on the other hand, has several choices. In past interviews with the Austrian management, Frederik Vesti and Mick Schumacher are some possible candidates. Because he is a member of the Mercedes Academy, Esteban Ocon is also in the running.
Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, stands out as a strong prospect, though it's still not clear if he wants to join the Silver Arrows. With these well-known rivals, Kimi Antonelli, who is currently competing in Formula 2, will have to make a big impression on Wolff in order to get his attention. For the young driver, getting off to a good start is very important.
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