Why will Kimi Antonelli drive a 2020 Mercedes F1 car in Jerez?. It's already test time at Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli on track with a 2020 Mercedes F1 car .

Mercedes tests in Jerez, why will Andrea Kimi Antonelli drive a 2020 F1 car? The Italian driver is preparing for his debut with the Brackley team, after participating in Free Practice sessions last season. Even before the unveiling of the new German car, the young talent from Bologna is already on track in Spain. He will drive the Mercedes W11, the car that gave Lewis Hamilton his seventh world title.

The season is just around the corner, and the teams are starting their preparations for the new championship. The newcomers will soon try out the cars of their respective teams. The most anticipated is undoubtedly Lewis Hamilton: the Briton will be on track at Fiorano as early as next week. But Ferrari isn’t the only team ready to hit the track.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli will also get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. The Italian driver, a new recruit for Mercedes to replace none other than Lewis Hamilton, will be on track in Jerez on January 15. He will drive the Mercedes W11, the car that helped #44 win his seventh world drivers’ title. But why was a more modern car not chosen?

Mercedes tests in Jerez: differences between TPC and THC
Until last season, the regulations allowed unlimited testing with cars from at least two seasons prior. What Max Verstappen and Red Bull did in 2024, testing at Imola to fix issues with the RB20, led to a drastic change. TPC (Testing Previous Cars) sessions are now limited to a maximum of 20 days per year.

Additionally, official drivers can only drive for a maximum distance of 1,000 km. Considering the importance of preserving this type of testing, Mercedes opted for a THC (Testing of Historic Cars) session: according to the current regulations, cars from 2023, 2022, and 2021 are considered previous cars, while the first “historic” car is the 2020 W11.