Kimi Antonelli was promoted to Mercedes’ F1 team at the end of last season after impressing in F2, and the Italian enjoyed a stunning debut at the Australian Grand Prix
Martin Brundle has hailed Mercedes’ new talent Kimi Antonelli as F1’s next big thing. Amid the buzz around Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut, Antonelli’s first race in F1 went under the radar in rain-soaked Melbourne.
In August, it was announced the 18-year-old Italian would step up to fill the seat left by George Russell, who was moving up to the place vacated by Hamilton. While Antonelli finished behind Russell, the youngster was one place away from the podium, taking P4.
Despite a penalty that temporarily dropped him to fifth, his fourth place was restored after an appeal. The teenager’s performance in Melbourne has turned heads, especially when it comes to pundits like Brundle.
In his Sky Sports column, Brundle wrote: “Kimi Antonelli drove a spectacularly mature first GP. Despite a quick spin in turn four he made some great overtakes. He kept moving forward at a solid race pace – often matching Russell – and despite a five-second unsafe pit stop release penalty which was later rescinded, he finished fourth.
“Mercedes have another star on their hands and jointly lead the team championship with McLaren. It’s irrelevant of course, but both Mercs pitted very timely and calmly for the final time on lap 44.”
Brundle’s praise starkly contrasts with the sceptical observations from Jacques Villeneuve and former owner of the Jordan GP F1 team Eddie Jordan, who both slated Antonelli’s appointment when it was announced. The former F1 champion told randprix247.com: “It’s too much too soon. Kimi Antonelli had a terrible season in Formula 2.
“Is it because he was already signed for F1 and the pressure got the better of him, who knows? Or maybe because he didn’t like that kind of car and maybe it’s better for him to be in a Formula One car.
“These are all question marks that we will find out very quickly, very soon. He seems to be capable of taking risks and pushing the car, but then feeling where that edge is, we don’t know yet.
“Or how does he work on a full season developing and evolving the car? How will the balance be between him and Russell? Will they work hand in hand with similar driving styles or completely opposite driving styles which then makes it difficult for the team to evolve the car in direction that pleases both drivers?
“The jury is out on Antonelli but so many people in the media want him to be amazing. I hope he is because if not, it will be a very heavy load to carry for him. A lot of pressure on his shoulders.”
Amidst the doubters was Jordan, who claimed Antonelli should have been occupying a seat as part of a midfield team, rather than the one Hamilton used to operate in. Jordan told the Formula for Success podcast: “I still believe there’s a place for Kimi but not in Mercedes – that’s the point I will make.
“I don’t care how quick he is. He should be placed somewhere which will give Toto and the team to learn for the year and come up that way. That’s my view on it.”
