Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 18 years old, passed the driving test just six weeks before his debut in Formula 1 with Mercedes at the Australian Grand Prix.
He will replace Lewis Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari. In a social media post from the team, Antonelli was photographed in a driving school car, with the caption: “mission accomplished.”
The F1 regulations required drivers to be 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license to obtain a Super License. This rule was changed after efforts by Mercedes to allow Antonelli to participate in the tests before turning 18.
A new clause granted special dispensation for 17-year-old drivers with exceptional skills and maturity in single-seater competitions.
Antonelli made his debut in free practice at the Italian Grand Prix, where he set the fastest lap before crashing at high speed, but he was unharmed. He will start pre-season testing in Bahrain with his teammate George Russell, with expectations that the duo will improve Mercedes’ performance in 2024.
Source: CNN | Photo: Instagram @kimi.antonelli | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team