F1 News
Potential replacement for Hamilton makes his debut in F1 car
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has completed his first day in a Formula 1 car. The Italian was in action at the Red Bull Ring with a Mercedes Formula 1 car. As a matter of course, the Mercedes junior is very excited after the test.
"My first day in an F1 car is done. It was an incredible experience. I loved every second of it. The first day didn't go as planned. There was some snow, so we couldn't really drive. On the second day, it was dry and I did quite a lot of laps. It was really good fun. I want to thank the whole team for their hard work. Excited for what's coming," Antonelli revealed in a video on the Mercedes X account.
“An incredible experience. I loved every second of it!”
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 17, 2024
Talking through Kimi’s first F1 test pic.twitter.com/bymuFzAKza
Hamilton's replacement in action?
Antonelli spent two days in action with the 2021 Mercedes W12. Toto Wolff had previously revealed that he wanted Antonelli to drive that car first, so the young star could experience a good F1 car. A small dig at his own team, given Mercedes' performance since 2022, which the team are allowed to use now. The 2021 car won the constructors' title. Antonelli will be in action with the W13 later this year.
For Antonelli, the test at the Red Bull Ring was important. The Italian hopes to make the switch to Formula 1 in 2025. Mercedes still has a seat available for 2025, so Antonelli could still be selected as Lewis Hamilton's replacement. Another option is a temporary stay with another team in F1. Williams seems the most plausible option in this regard.
