Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 16-year-old Italian wonderkid, has caught the attention of Mercedes’ development team, and it’s no surprise why. Despite only getting behind the wheel of a single-seater in September 2021, Antonelli has already made a name for himself in the world of motorsport. His impressive karting career, which saw him win the FIA Karting European Championship and WSK Euro Series in 2020, was just the beginning of his success story.
Antonelli’s move to Prema in Italian Formula 4 in 2021 saw him instantly become a competitive force, securing three podiums from three rounds at the Monza finale and finishing 10th in the championship, despite joining halfway through the season. In 2022, Antonelli took on the ADAC series alongside the Italian competition at Formula 4, winning a remarkable 24 races across both series and sweeping the titles by significant margins.
Mercedes’ development adviser Gwen Lagrue described Antonelli as ‘a phenomenon,’ and Toto Wolff has high hopes for the young driver, stating, “We will watch Andrea Kimi Antonelli rise to Formula 1 and win races.” Although Antonelli will remain with Prema for 2023, there is some expectation that he would jump straight to Formula 3. However, he will instead contest the Formula Regional European Championship this year, giving him the opportunity to continue honing his skills and proving that he truly is a rising star in the world of motorsport.
Number 2. Alex Powell
