Kimi Antonelli on test day after the Belgian Grand Prix

Mercedes recently confirmed that young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will take the wheel of the W13 for a test day at Spa-Francorchamps after the Belgian Grand Prix.

This test, carried out as part of the TPC program, will allow the young Italian driver to train even more in Formula 1. While he won his first race last week, he is still considered a candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton.

A program to improve

Andrew Shovlin, head of engineering at Mercedes, confirmed that despite logistical issues, Antonelli will be entitled to another test day as part of the team’s previous cars testing program (TPC). This program allows drivers to conduct additional tests on old team cars that are not counted as part of the usual team tests, thus avoiding any reprimand from the FIA.

Shovlin explained that finding opportunities for the TPC program is complicated due to the busy F1 schedule and the limited number of personnel available because of the cost cap. This test will take place just after the Belgian Grand Prix. « We have planned other events. We are spending a day with him here in Spa after the weekend », said the Mercedes team manager.

Mercedes, who has been conducting these tests for some time now, is using this opportunity to allow its drivers to practice driving a Formula 1 car. An experience that could help them become more familiar with the transition to the top category. Shovlin confirmed that other tests are already planned for this season. “We have other events scheduled later in the year, but everything is going well, and the programs will now focus on teaching how to refine the approach to qualifying, how to refine the approach to long races, and to do all this work so that he can have a clearer idea of what he needs to work on and improve,” he confirmed about Kimi Antonelli.

Unfortunately, with Kimi Antonelli still in Formula 2, it is complicated for the team to arrange tests with the driver.

A future for which he is not ready

Despite his recent successes in Formula 2, Antonelli had admitted earlier in the week that he did not feel ready for F1. A doubt not shared by Toto Wolff, who still seems to consider the driver for 2025. “You know, sometimes we forget,” began Mercedes team principal. “Remember how you were at 17. I can tell you that my lack of maturity would never have allowed me to make decisions in such a competitive field.”

For Mercedes, the main objective at the moment is to focus on developing the driver’s performance on the car. These recent data will help position Kimi Antonelli in relation to expectations to secure a place in Formula 1. While the German team seemed to want to recruit Max Verstappen before, the end of the Dutch driver’s exit clause now makes this transfer impossible. Mercedes must therefore find an exit strategy, which seems to be the young Formula 2 driver.

With a victory at Silverstone in the Sprint race and now a victory in Hungary, the Italian seems to have a little more confidence in himself. The pressure was building weekend after weekend with all the discussions. Silverstone was a great relief for me, he said. And I think it really showed. Even this victory, a main race on a dry track, is a great relief and an excellent result for all of us.

For the moment, the second driver at Mercedes has not been confirmed, with Antonelli still in the running and experienced drivers who will leave their team, we will have to wait for a definitive answer.