The young prodigy from Bologna shares his story: “I feel Mercedes’ trust. Formula 1? For now, I see it only as a dream”
Rumors continue to circulate about Kimi Antonelli potentially joining Formula 1 with Mercedes in 2025. Between speculation, insider tips, and flattering words from Toto Wolff, who has repeatedly emphasized Kimi’s talent, the news hints at the Bologna-born driver being very close to replacing Hamilton in 2025. However, according to Antonelli, Formula 1 is still just a dream—or at least for now.
It’s clear, though, that the rumors about him can’t be ignored: with Carlos Sainz likely headed to Williams, Mercedes’ options seem to be between Max Verstappen, who will likely remain just a dream, and the 2006-born Prema driver, currently seventh in the Formula 2 standings.
The Interview with Kimi Antonelli
In an interview with Roberto Chinchero, the young Mercedes Academy talent shared his first impressions of being behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car: “Getting in is an emotion.
Seeing so many people around the car is really impressive. It’s unusual for us young drivers; when I arrived at the box in the morning, I was amazed by how many engineers there were. I was excited—we were at Spielberg, and the conditions were really tough: it was raining and snowing… The second day, the track improved, and in the dry, I could really feel the performance… you can’t understand it until you try it”.
“Even more thrilling was experiencing the sensations during the qualifying simulation. More than the soft tires, which I was already used to from Formula 2, the difference between the car with a full and empty fuel tank is really big. It’s incredible”,, he added.
Kimi Antonelli: “F1 is still a dream, but no Plan B”
Then, commenting on his potential move to F1, Antonelli said: “I’m calm; if the opportunity arose, I would be thrilled. But, and I say this honestly, I still see it as a dream: I’ve thought about it, but it’s a passing thought… my goal now is Formula 2, and then we’ll see if it happens. I’m giving my all to this and don’t have a Plan B—Formula 1 is all I think about”.
“Fears about a possible F1 debut? I think it’s normal; there’s always some fear. I’m not too afraid of judgment—I see opportunities as a chance to learn and grow, but also to enjoy the moment from a certain perspective. Mercedes has a clear opinion of me and my potential, and even this year in F2, no one had second thoughts despite a start that wasn’t the best.”
He also shared some off-track insights: “My dad is always at the track; having my family close is very important to me. My mom, on the other hand, takes care of my younger sister and rightly has other priorities. I spend less and less time at home, and it’s one of the many sacrifices you have to make. And sometimes, yes, I do miss home…”
“When I’m at the track, I also have to catch up on schoolwork, and that has its challenges too: my classmates update me on the syllabus, and I try to catch up while traveling. A little anecdote: for the triple Bahrain-Jeddah-Melbourne trip, I stuck a photo of myself on the desk… so everyone knew I hadn’t disappeared into thin air!”, Kimi concluded.
Photo: Prema Team