This will surely be one of the main themes of the upcoming season. Kimi Antonelli’s debut at Mercedes has sparked a lot of discussion ever since team principal Toto Wolff officially announced the Italian driver as Lewis Hamilton‘s successor, with the seven-time Formula 1 world champion moving to Scuderia Ferrari starting with the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.
Many do not believe that Kimi Antonelli is ready for such a leap, given that in two years he will be moving from Formula 4 to one of the top teams in Formula 1. Moreover, the mistake at Monza, when the Italian driver crashed at Parabolica, certainly didn’t help.
He received plenty of criticism after that incident, but Toto Wolff has consistently confirmed his unwavering confidence in the decision made.
The Kimi Project
But what will the goal of the “Antonelli project” be? Toto Wolff addressed this in a long interview with Autosprint, focusing on this very topic. “I think the model that inspired me the most is related to Lewis’s career,” said the Mercedes Team Principal. “His growth in the lower categories was incredible, and then his impact in Formula 1 left everyone speechless, even though during that time there were more tests allowed than now.” – the Mercedes team boss pointed out.
“With the tools available at the moment, Kimi can get in the car and be competitive. The goal is definitely to create a successful project like Hamilton’s,” added Toto Wolff – “Certainly, the current cars are ‘beasts’ that are different from those of Lewis’s early years. Additionally, there is much more pressure from social media, so it is crucial for everyone to move in the same direction, prioritizing the right things and avoiding anything that is unnecessary.” – the Austrian billionaire motorsport executive concluded.
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