Not only the debut in F1 with Mercedes, Antonelli reaches another milestone: the driving license. The young talent from Bologna, born in 2005, turned 18 only last August 25th. His commitments in Formula 2 and with the Silver Arrows kept him busy throughout the autumn. As he explained himself in early December, getting the license was one of his winter goals.
With the age of F1 drivers at debut becoming increasingly lower, it is not rare for the most promising young drivers to get behind the wheel of the highest category cars even before turning 18. In fact, sometimes they even become official drivers: when he made his debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was just 17 years old.
The grid for the next season will see a significant injection of youth. Among the six rookies hitting the track, there’s also the very Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Freshly 18 years old at the time of his first time on track with Mercedes in Free Practice 1 at Monza, he only today obtained his driving license. A milestone reached, and sometimes, not even a given.
F1 drivers: you can race without a license
In Formula 1, a driving license doesn’t matter. What’s important is obtaining the necessary points on the FIA Super License, often a particularly tough hurdle to overcome. Drivers, despite being skilled at driving the fastest cars in the world, sometimes struggle when behind the wheel of a regular car.
Both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, two of the strongest champions of their generation, didn’t have a peaceful experience with their driving test: while the Monegasque was afraid of the narrow streets of Monaco, the Dutchman didn’t give way to anyone. And what about George Russell and Oliver Bearman, both failing on their first attempt?
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