Formula 1 News: Toto Wolff Confirms Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s F1 Practice Debut with Mercedes at Italian Grand Prix
Mercedes Announces Antonelli’s F1 Practice Debut
Mercedes Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff has officially announced that young Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will make his Formula 1 practice debut with the team at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix, as reported by Autosport’s Italian sister website. Antonelli, who turned 18 on Sunday, will participate in the Friday FP1 session at Monza, driving the current W15 car.
“To see him drive out on Friday in FP1 in Monza, in front of the tifosi, having an Italian kid in a competitive car, I think that will be something that everybody in Italy can be very proud of.”
- Toto Wolff
This milestone marks the next stage in Antonelli’s development, following his extensive testing with Mercedes’ older F1 cars. With Mercedes, the Italian has been groomed since his karting days, and this opportunity will allow him to gain valuable experience in a competitive car.
Antonelli’s Future Plans
Wolff has ruled out the possibility of Antonelli making a full debut with Williams later this season, replacing struggling Logan Sargeant. Instead, Antonelli will continue his testing duties alongside completing his rookie Formula 2 campaign with Prema. Wolff emphasized the importance of sticking to their original plan, saying, “What’s best for him is to continue the programme as we have designed it, with the testing [of previous cars] and Formula 2, and see how that goes.”
Antonelli is widely expected to be confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement alongside George Russell next year, and this opportunity will be crucial in his preparation for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Italian Grand Prix, which takes place on September 1-3, will be an exciting event, with Formula 1 news enthusiasts eagerly anticipating Antonelli’s debut.
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