Italian Formula 1 fans are following with great hope the first steps in single-seaters Andrea Kimi Antonellia young driver born in 2006, twice European Kart champion in the OK category in 2020 and 2021. The Italian has so far lived up to expectations, establishing himself in 2022 in Italian F4 and ADAC and in 2023 in European and Middle East Formula Regional.
Antonelli's career and the 2024 challenge
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Victories | Pole | GPV | Podiums | Points | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Italian Formula 4 | Press Powerteam | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 10th |
| 2022 | Formula 4 UAE | Press Powerteam | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 117 | 8th |
| Italian Formula 4 | 21 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 337 | 1st | ||
| Formula 4 ADAC | 14 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 303 | 1st | ||
| FIA Motorsport Games F4 | Automobile Club of Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 1st | |
| 2023 | Formula Regional Middle East | Mumbai Falcons | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 192 | 1st |
| European Regional Formula | Press Powerteam | 18 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 300 | 1st | |
| Italian GT Sprint Cup | AKM Motorsports | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 32* | 5th* |
And such a brilliant talent could not escape the watchful eyes of Formula 1 managers, with the Mercedes who even included him in his youth team in 2019 (when he was 13 years old).
Toto Wolff chose the courageous pass in for him Formula 2 already for 2024taking advantage of the new generation of cars that will make all the drivers start from scratch: at 17 years old the future is already knocking on Antonelli's doors, who will skip F3 and continue with the Prema team, which is raising him from the minor categories.
Baldisserri focuses on Antonelli
In an interview given to National newspaper, Luca Baldisserri – Michael Schumacher's former track engineer and former head of the Ferrari Academy – has few doubts about the Bolognese talent: “The expectations are legitimate, but it's better to do one thing at a time. Antonelli, with what he showed in the minor categories, brings to mind Max Verstappen, I have no doubts about this. I remember Dutch as a minor.
I saw him driving at a meeting reserved for promising drivers. I was there representing Ferrari and I was impressed by Max's performance. F2 is a great opportunity, but as I know him, I am convinced that he will exploit it. Kimi Antonelli will bring Italy back to the starting grid of the Formula 1 Grands Prix, and I hope it is only the first step…”.
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