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Antonelli ready for F1 environment: 'That's the important thing'
- Ludo van Denderen
It will be a tough task for Andrea Kimi Antonelli to succeed Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next season. However, the German team is convinced that the young Italian (18) is ready to make the next step in his career and enter Formula 1. Gwen Lagrue, Mercedes' Driver Development Advisor, has had Antonelli under his wings since 2017 and has high hopes for him, despite the enormous pressure on the youngster's shoulders.
When Lagrue first contracted the young Italian, Antonelli was just barely 11 years old. 'His raw talent' was immediately apparent the advisor believes, but at the time the youngster did not have a set plan, he told Motorsport.com. Working with him, Antonelli grew into a driver who is therefore now ready for Formula 1.
"What makes him unique is that he has commanded attention by winning everything everywhere," the Frenchman advisor said.
Mercedes is going to help Antonelli grow
Winning in FRECA or Formula 2, for example, is very different from getting a Grand Prix victory in F1. Indeed, the pressure in the competition is enormous. That is something the Italian will have to learn to deal with next season, but Lagrue believes he will be ready for that.
"From the moment you start winning and you join a programme like Mercedes' at the age of 11, then pressure comes immediately," he said.
"When he made his karting debut - and he started from pole in the European Championship final - the pressure was huge. He has been dealing with that all his life. The most important thing is to help him grow and then increase the pressure evenly," Lagrue concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sarkozi
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4 October 2024
