Why is Kimi Antonelli’s entrance to F1 making waves?
- Mary Alice Schaub
- Nov 19, 2024
- 2 min read
This 18 year old Italian driver joined the Mercedes AMG-PETRONAS Junior Programme back in 2019. He has been racing with Prema Racing since his single-seater debut in 2021. This young star has quickly risen up the ranks, similarly to Ollie Bearman, the Hass driver that replaced Kevin Magnussen in the 2024 Azerbaijan and Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Antonelli has been faced with skepticism since the announcement of him filling Lewis Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes. It is no small task to fill the shoes of this 7-time World Champion. But with his proven success it is expected that he will make a stellar entrance. Antonelli’s most notable race, that displayed his talent in the sport, was in 2023 at Zandvoort. This race displayed his ability to control the car in the difficult wet conditions, these are the performances that grabs the attention of the F1 teams, for future seats.
But, Antonelli’s successes have been influenced by his father, Marco Antonelli. Marco Antonelli is a former racer and owner of Antonelli Motorsports Team. Even Kimi Antonelli’s namesake was influenced by racing, the former F1 driver, Kimi Räikkönen the 2007 World Champion. Some can say he was destined for a great racing career, but we have seen with the sons of former race drivers that it has not always guaranteed their careers will be successful. Take Mick Schumacher for an example, his father is a legend in the sport and even considered the best driver of all time. But, Mick’s run in F1 was less than subpar. But, if you take Carlos Sainz as an example, his father is a World Rally Champion, yet his career in the sport has been exceptional. It is a toss up when you have a nepotism baby join the grid, which is why seeing Antonelli on the grid, especially in a Mercedes seat, is captivating viewers’ attention.
Hopefully we see the start of a legendary F1 career for young Antonelli. With his natural talent he is sure to make waves within the field.
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