Kimi Antonelli Gears Up for F1: ‘Counting the Days Until I Can Compete’

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, racing for the Mercedes team during the 2024 Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Formula 1 has had the privilege of fielding some of the greatest generational talents in the entire sporting industry. The latest era of the sport is ushering in towards embracing youth and Andrea Kimi Antonelli has quickly become the poster boy of that movement.

The 18-year-old Italian racing prodigy rose through the junior ranks at a meteoric pace — collecting titles and accolades one after the other. Earlier this year, it was finally announced that he will be making his F1 debut for the storied Mercedes team next season.

The F2 sensation has already had track time behind the wheel of F1 machinery in private tests and two outings during FP1 this season. Yet, he is keen to get working on his first full season in the sport.

The Mercedes website quoted Antonelli as saying, “I still have to finish an F2 season and I want to do that in style, but honestly I’m counting down the days until I can start in F1”. The Silver Arrows have also been working very closely with Antonelli to ensure that he is ready for the pinnacle of motorsport.

One part of this plan is to have the 18-year-old with the team at almost every race weekend. While this will help him acclimatize with the paddock, he also gets the distinct opportunity to be around the likes of George Russell and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

However, Antonelli has ensured that he keeps his distance from Russell and Hamilton and doesn’t “harass” them. In addition to this, Antonelli is working closely with the team to improve his physical conditioning to endure the challenges of a full season of F1 racing.

Lastly, as all F1 drivers do, Antonelli is putting in the hours at Mercedes’ simulator. This will allow the Italian to get to grips with the complexities and challenges of driving an F1 car at full tilt in a competitive sphere.

Post Edited By: Vidit Dhawan
Kimi Antonelli Mercedes

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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