Formula 2 racer Kimi Antonelli, who is only on the brink of his 18th birthday, is already one of the most highly-rated young drivers in motorsport – and could even be promoted to an F1 race seat with Mercedes next season. But why would the Silver Arrows take a chance on an unproven youngster this early in his career? We asked F2 commentator Alex Jacques just what makes the Italian so special…
Andrea Kimi Antonelli seemed set for Formula 1 since his go-karting days. Such was his speed, Antontelli had the pick of F1 driver academy offers in his inbox at the age of just 13.
After winning five karting championships, including back-to-back European titles, he chose Mercedes. His reasoning: they had no one else his age. One of the biggest car companies in the world promised him their full attention, and the son of Touring Car and GT racer Marco Antonelli set about adding to his trophy collection.
In 2022, Antonelli Junior claimed the Italian and German Formula 4 titles in the same season. This is a gold standard indicator of talent, as a junior driver is required to blend speed with the consistency of managing a busy calendar. (F1-bound Oliver Bearman achieved the same honour the year before).
A year later, Antonelli continued his success with a title-winning season in the FRECA championship (previously known as Formula Renault). His campaign featured five wins and 11 podiums – but beyond the numbers, two key moments displayed traits beyond raw talent.
In treacherous conditions at Zandvoort, the Italian went from eighth on the grid to the lead in just three laps, showing incredible touch and control.
This is the type of race upper management looks for. Performance in the wet can exemplify exceptional talent. Indeed, Red Bull motorsport chief Helmut Marko decided to move for Max Verstappen after a similar wet weather performance in F3.