Kimi Antonelli

Credits- IMAGO / AFLOSPORT

Kimi Antonelli, who is widely reported to be Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes next year, did not have a strong start to the 2024 F2 season. With three rounds remaining, he is currently in 7th place in the championship standings with 87 points, far from contending for the title. However, Nate Saunders has stated that Antonelli’s special talent makes him well-prepared to take on the challenge of being an F1 driver.

Saunders highlighted Antonelli’s calmness, which is an uncommon trait for drivers his age. “I have seen Antonelli in press conferences. I cannot believe how calm and cool that kid is. It’s unbelievable how unfazed these kids are,” he said on the ESPN Unlapped Podcast.

Oliver Bearman was also brought into the conversation, receiving the same praise from Saunders. The ESPN journalist explained that their behavior was a result of the training they received from their respective teams—Mercedes for Antonelli and Ferrari for Bearman.

“It’s a real credit to how well they’re trained and how well these teams prepare them for F1,” he added. It’s just freakish how good they are!”

Both Antonelli and Bearman also face the added pressure of being dubbed generational talents. Antonelli, in particular, will have to fill the shoes of Hamilton—a seven-time world champion—at a top team like Mercedes.

His career trajectory has also been compared to Max Verstappen’s, as both skipped F2 to make their F1 debut at a young age.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali insisted earlier this week that Antonelli should not be placed under too much pressure, as he is still just 18 years old.

Meanwhile, the F1 community eagerly awaits his arrival to the paddock, viewing him as one of the most exciting additions to the grid in recent years.

All eyes on Antonelli

Multiple sources have confirmed that Antonelli’s move to Mercedes for 2025 will be officially announced during the Italian GP weekend (August 30th to September 2nd). Plus, the youngster will also get a chance to drive the W15 during FP1 in front of his home fans.

Practice sessions aren’t typically used to judge a driver’s skill, but in Antonelli’s case, the hype surrounding his impending debut will put him under pressure to deliver a strong performance; at the very least, have a clean run.

That being said, Antonelli could take a page out of Bearman’s book. The 18-year-old Briton made his F1 debut this year at the Saudi Arabian GP as a last-minute replacement for Carlos Sainz, who was sidelined by appendicitis. Bearman impressed by scoring six points and finishing P7, ahead of Hamilton in the race.

Antonelli won’t be participating in a competitive session at Monza, but he’ll still be looking to impress the paddock by putting the W15 in a strong position.