Marko expects huge pressure for Antonelli at Mercedes

Forward of the 2025 F1 season, Crimson Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko reckoned that there shall be enormous strain on Andrea Kimi Antonelli ’s shoulders because the Italian is about to make his F1 debut with Mercedes.

Mercedes introduced on the eve of final yr’s Italian Grand Prix that their F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will change Lewis Hamilton, who had confirmed his departure from the staff again in final February.

The Bologna-born driver, who competed in System 2 final season, has accomplished a number of check outings with Mercedes because the Brackley-based outfit introduced his promotion. He first carried out operating with the 2021 F1 Mercedes on the Crimson Bull Ring earlier than racking up mileage with the 2022 F1 Mercedes in Imola and in Silverstone.

Antonelli then went on to realize expertise at Spa in August earlier than finishing his first operating on a race weekend. The 18-year-old took over George Russell’s automobile within the opening apply session on the Italian Grand Prix, however a mistake on his second flying lap noticed him crash into the limitations on the Parabolica nook.

He then travelled to Mexico, the place he drove Lewis Hamilton’s automobile in FP1 on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the place he admittedly took a calmer method to keep away from any mistake.

The Mercedes junior has lately accomplished one other check run, that point at Jerez, racking up laps within the 2021 F1 Mercedes final Wednesday in good climate circumstances.

Crimson Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko has in contrast Kimi Antonelli’s speedy rise to Max Verstappen’s early profession. The Austrian reckoned that there shall be extra strain on the Bologna-born driver as he begins his F1 profession in a prime staff whereas Verstappen made his F1 debut in a midfield outfit.

“Antonelli is a threat, however we additionally took that threat with Verstappen up to now. Max was very younger when he obtained into that automobile. However in his case, he wasn’t in a prime staff so he had much less strain.”

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