August 30th was a memorable day in the 2024 Formula 1 season. It was the day on which Andrea Kimi Antonelli, known to everyone in the paddock as Kimi, competed against the seasoned regular drivers for the first time in an official Friday training session, instead of George Russell in his Mercedes. And Antonelli immediately left a lasting impression.
Less because of his crash in the Parabolica corner, on only his second fast lap, but because of the impressive telemetry data on the lap of his accident. In some corners, the 18-year-old even outpaced superstars like Max Verstappen by ten or more km/h and thus gave a sample of his talent.
Three months later, Toto Wolff is still waxing lyrical when he thinks back to Antonelli’s flash in the pan leading up to the crash. Antonelli “did an incredible lap in Monza, which unfortunately only lasted up to the Parabolica. But when you looked at the overlays, it was unbelievable,” said the Mercedes team boss in an interview with “ORF”.
Of course, it is clear to everyone that Antonelli will not drive everyone else into the ground from day one in 2025 and make them look like nose pickers. His incredible Monza data may also be proof of his inexperience, because he probably pushed all the way and others drove a little more routinely and moderately.
Wolff: We have to manage expectations
Because: Antonelli probably put too much strain on his Pirelli tires due to the crazy cornering speeds, so that when he arrived at the Parabolica (actually: Alboreto corner) they no longer had full grip. Perhaps Verstappen & Co. would also have been capable of such cornering speeds if they had driven like Antonelli without considering losses.
Wolff knows: “We all always think about whether we are making the right decisions. And the Antonelli decision is certainly a brave one and also an experiment for us.” Now it’s about “managing the expectations next year, his, ours and also those of the fans, and simply letting him develop.”
Because: “There will be moments where we tear our hair out because of mistakes, and then there will be moments of brilliance again where you see this talent come through. But the main thing is to develop in the next year. 2026 is very important for us as an engine manufacturer and we want to have it ready.”
Antonelli was much more level-headed in Mexico
Antonelli completed a second Friday training session after Monza, at the Mexican Grand Prix, and appeared much more composed there than at the home game in Italy. In Mexico City he completed 19 relatively unremarkable laps. At the end of the session he was a good second behind George Russell in twelfth place.
Wolff reports that “everyone who worked with him” in the junior formulas before Formula 1 describes Antonelli’s talent as “extraordinary”. But Mercedes “made a mistake in Monza by exposing him to pressure in Italy and also announcing that he would drive for us in 2025.”
But one thing is clear: Even if Antonelli’s appearance in Monza ended in the tire wall and not in first place on the results list, it was a memorable debut in Formula 1. One that experts may look back on in many years as the birth of a new champion become. After all, Antonelli is replacing none other than Lewis Hamilton.