Mercedes doesn’t expect Kimi Antonelli to be the most performing in F2
Mercedes believes that it is important for junior driver Kimi Antonelli not to be expected as the revelation of the next Formula 2 season. He will be making his debut season in the category without having gone through Formula 3.
Double European karting champion, the Italian made a strong impression in the junior categories, also winning the Italian and ADAC Formula 4 titles with Prema in his debut single-seater season in 2022. Mercedes has made the decision for Antonelli to skip F3 as he feels ready to take on the challenge of F2, which is the final stepping stone to F1.
And even though there is a huge media frenzy around him, the boss of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, is clear that the German manufacturer will not set overly high expectations. We took Kimi under our wing in 2012 […] and he was already a great guy at the time. You could see his character, he was strong, said the Austrian.
« We had him in the garage and he had a lot of confidence. And then in karting, his track record was immense, and then you put him in junior formulas, and he wins every season during his first year. »
However, Toto Wolff does not want the excitement surrounding his driver to overshadow the context of his arrival. But we must be cautious, as there is a lot of media hype around Kimi. Placing him in F2 is a big step, as these cars are heavier and much more powerful. However, if we give him time and don’t expect him to perform in his first season, I believe he can truly be a great driver in this sport.
But there are tough competitors who can enter the second season, Fred Vasseur [Ferrari] has one, and they are highly rated, and I think it doesn’t matter if it’s over one season or two, he must prove that he is ready for a seat in F1. And there is a gap to bridge between the two. We must focus on F2, nothing else.
