Kimi Antonelli has recently finished participating in two F1 tests.
Toto Wolff has hinted that promoting Andrea Kimi Antonelli to a Mercedes seat for F1 2025 is a major consideration, claiming the benefits would be felt both on and off track.
Antonelli is the most talked-about name in the F1 paddock as he looks to become the clear favourite for the Silver Arrows seat next year. And following recent tests in previous Mercedes F1 cars, Wolff has hinted he is a potential candidate.
Toto Wolff drops huge Andrea Kimi Antonelli hint
The subject of Antonelli came up not by a direct question but instead a reference to Lewis Hamilton and his first race in Italy since news of his Ferrari move was confirmed.
When questioned by Sky F1 about whether it had an impact on the team’s preparation, Wolff indicated that having an Italian driver in their car next year could potentially bring advantages.
“Our silence regarding Hamilton’s move to Italy is understandable considering the massive global audience of 100 million grand prix viewers, as well as the significant presence of local Italians,” explained the CEO of Mercedes. “However, it’s undoubtedly thrilling for the Italian fans to see Lewis Hamilton donning the red outfit next year. We will gradually become accustomed to this new sight.”
“However, we should take a moment to reflect on ourselves and consider the possibility that having an Italian in our car may bring about a brighter outcome.”
Antonelli, a native of Bologna, recently conducted two F1 car tests in Austria and most recently in Imola at the end of April. Karun Chandhok, who was part of the interviewing team alongside Wolff, reported that the feedback he received labeled Antonelli as the finest driver they had witnessed, surpassing even the likes of Max Verstappen.
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Chandhok stated that the engineers have expressed their great admiration for him. He mentioned that during a recent press conference, the technical director, James Allison, remarked that it appeared as though he had been driving an F1 car for a much longer period of time than just a few laps. Therefore, it is evident that the team has been extremely impressed with his performance thus far.
I personally witnessed him earlier this year while he was testing an F1 car. The experience was undeniably remarkable. During the event, I had the opportunity to chat with the engineers and Warren Hughes, the driver coach whom I’ve known for quite a while. Their level of astonishment was truly incredible.
According to the engineer, he is the most skilled driver we have witnessed in an F3 car since Max Verstappen.
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