Last month, a request was submitted to the FIA, seeking dispensation to grant Kimi Antonelli an F1 super licence.
Mercedes’ junior driver Kimi Antonelli is eligible for a super licence later this year, but the FIA have received a request for an early dispensation to be made.
Antonelli, who made his debut in Formula 2 this season, will reach the age of 18 in August this year. This makes him the youngest driver eligible to be granted an FIA super licence, which is required to compete in Formula 1.
Kimi Antonelli super licence dispensation sought
Antonelli has accumulated sufficient points from his championship triumphs in various F4 and Formula Regional series. However, due to the current regulations, he will not be eligible for a super licence until he reaches the age of 18.
PlanetF1.com has received information that a dispensation request has been submitted to the FIA, the governing body, in order to secure Antonelli a super licence prior to turning 18 years old.
The FIA is currently under investigation regarding the potential allowance of granting such a dispensation. However, since the age limit is clearly stated in the regulations, obtaining cooperation from multiple commissions would be necessary if a rule alteration is needed to permit Antonelli’s debut before August.
The team that submitted the dispensation request has not been confirmed, but according to PlanetF1.com, it is not Mercedes. This is the team for which he conducted a test at Imola recently, using a two-year-old W13 car.
Antonelli has achieved a top finish of fourth place in the Melbourne feature race this season in Formula 2. However, it is important to note that this highly-regarded Italian driver has secured an impressive track record with five single-seater titles over the past two years.
Antonelli has been strongly associated with the available seat at Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. His skills in the pre-F1 realm have drawn comparisons to Max Verstappen, but his lack of experience in higher racing categories poses a significant uncertainty.
Antonelli might have a potential opportunity to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams, as the American driver has not demonstrated the ability to keep up with or surpass Alex Albon, despite having spent over a season together.
At last month’s Australian Grand Prix, Sargeant was compelled to surrender his fully functional chassis to his teammate Alex Albon. This action could be interpreted as a sign that the team lacks confidence in Sargeant’s ability to match Albon’s performance capabilities.
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Williams and Mercedes maintain a strong connection, as Williams is a customer of Mercedes and their former chief strategist, James Vowles, now leads the Williams team.
There were rumors circulating ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, which happened to be Sargeant’s home race, indicating that it could possibly be his final one. Although it is a possibility, it might be too hasty to grant Antonelli a dispensation, as it could be seen as going too far too soon.
The request will be reviewed by the Super Licence Working Group, followed by the Safety Committee. Additionally, the approval of the World Motor Sport Council will be necessary. This entire process may potentially take “several weeks”.
Antonelli’s extensive testing with Mercedes at Imola makes the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix an ideal opportunity for him to make his debut in F1. However, if he is not granted permission or if it takes a significant amount of time, it is unlikely that he will begin his F1 journey at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Should Antonelli make his F1 debut this season, he won’t be the inaugural F2 driver to receive a swift promotion. Ferrari summoned Oliver Bearman for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when Carlos Sainz fell ill with appendicitis after practice. The young British driver impressively finished seventh in his first race.
A comment request from PlanetF1.com was not promptly answered by Williams.
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