F1 News: Get to know Kimi Antonelli: The junior sensation who could be set to replace Hamilton

Antonelli, Abu Dhabi, Mercedes, F1, Generic — Photo: © IMAGO

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Get to know Kimi Antonelli: The junior sensation who could be set to replace Hamilton

The young Italian is being eyed for a potential F1 seat as early as this year or next

Yara Elshebiny

Saturday 27 April 2024 06:00

Rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli could be a surprise contender for an F1 seat.

Lewis Hamilton's bombshell move to Ferrari for 2025 has left a gaping hole at Mercedes, sparking a frenzy of speculation regarding his replacement.

Several names have been thrown into the mix for the coveted seat, including F2 rising star Kimi Antonelli.

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While Mercedes might prioritise a more experienced driver next year, potentially looking at out-of-contract Carlos Sainz, they could be grooming Antonelli for the future.

The Silver Arrows are reportedly looking to put their young prodigy in a Williams seat, replacing the struggling Logan Sargeant as early as this year.

Who is Kimi Antonelli?

Kimi Antonelli, born in 2006, comes from a racing pedigree. His father, Marco, was a racer himself and owns AKM Motorsport, a team competing in the Italian F4 Championship.

Antonelli's career began at the tender age of seven in go-karts, where he quickly displayed exceptional talent and won the EasyKart International Grand Final two years later.

Following this early promise, Antonelli honed his skills in the WSK series and, in 2018, he won the finale of the WSK Champions Cup 60 Mini and also took victory in the ROK Cup International Final.

The following year, Antonelli dominated the WSK Super Master Series and Euro Series, even finishing fifth in his first FIA World Championship appearance.

These achievements caught the eye of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who signed him to the Mercedes Junior Academy.

Antonelli then transitioned into single seaters in 2021 and dipped his toes in both the Italian and UAE F4 championships.

While his Italian campaign yielded podium finishes, it was in the UAE that he truly shone, securing two race wins and finishing third overall.

The following year, Antonelli returned to the Italian F4 scene, this time as a dominant force. He swept the championship and won the title with a staggering 13 victories and pole positions in all but a handful of races.

He also replicated this success in the ADAC F4 series, winning the title with nine race victories and 12 podium finishes.

Kimi Antonelli won both the Formula Regional European and Middle East Championships in 2023

Antonelli's most recent exploits in the Formula Regional series have truly cemented his status as a future F1 star.

Competing in both the European and Middle Eastern championships, he tamed the powerful F3-based machinery, winning both titles in 2023.

This meteoric rise has culminated in a promotion to Formula 2 with Prema Racing this season, where he is racing alongside Oliver Bearman, the young British driver who replaced Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP.

While the jury is still out on whether he will land the vacant Mercedes seat immediately or join Williams first, Kimi Antonelli is undoubtedly a name to watch, destined to make waves in F1 sooner rather than later.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Williams Andrea Kimi Antonelli F2