Steiner judges Antonelli: 'Nobody but Toto knows better'

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steiner judges kimi antonelli in formula 1 at mercedes
20 August at 21:00
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  • Ludo van Denderen

Sunday is a special day. Not only does the F1 season resume with the Dutch Grand Prix, it is also the day Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates his long-awaited 18th birthday. Perhaps the young Italian will soon get the best birthday present imaginable when team boss Toto Wolff announces that Antonelli will race for the Mercedes F1 team in Formula 1 from 2025. Guenther Steiner gives his preliminary views on the youngsters likely entry into Formula 1.

Mixed is the best way to describe Antonelli's season in Formula 2. One race the Italian manages to excel, the next day he can drive an anonymous race. Seventh place in the standings for the Formula 2 championship is not exactly a position to get excited about. Yet it seems that Mercedes will appoint Antonelli as the replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving for Ferrari, for next season.

'Ideal time for Antonelli'

Guenther Steiner, the former Haas F1 team boss, has also seen Antonelli at work in recent months. His assessment of Antonelli at Mercedes in Formula 1? "I would say, if he's ready, and there's nobody better than Toto [Wolff] to know. They're very close to each other. If he's ready as a 17 or 18-year-old, however old he is now, I think if he's ready now, it gives you a good opportunity next year with a solid car to learn for 2026 and then be completely ready for 2026," he exclusively told GPblog.

This is because a new technical regulations will come into force in 2026, effectively making all teams start from scratch. For Mercedes, then, it is very important that they have an 'experienced' driver in their car because in the first months of the season, with so many changes, the new car will cause enough headaches.

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton



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