Revealed: Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes plans with clear F1 2026 goal set

Mercedes want to keep expectations surrounding Kimi Antonelli in check for his rookie campaign, with a view to their F1 2026 driver plans.

That is the update provided by team principal Toto Wolff, after Mercedes opted to place their faith in youth for the F1 2025 campaign.

Mercedes to shield Kimi Antonelli ahead of F1 2026

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Before the racing action even got underway in 2024, Hamilton rocked the F1 world with the blockbuster announcement that he was to end his Mercedes association at 12 seasons and make the move to Ferrari to realise a childhood dream.

And as the replacement for Formula 1’s most successful driver, Mercedes have called upon their teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli, calling up the 18-year-old Italian after a season in Formula 2 to take over as team-mate to George Russell.

The first sample of Antonelli in F1 machinery came at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, where he “put in an incredible lap in Monza” on debut in FP1, at his home race. But, as Wolff added when speaking to ORF, that experience “unfortunately only lasted as far as the Parabolica.

“But if you looked at the overlays, it was incredible.”

Antonelli’s high-speed?Parabolica crash early in FP1 did not put Mercedes off, with the teenager announced that weekend as Hamilton’s F1 2025 replacement, with a clean and more controlled FP1 outing coming later in the season in Mexico.

And speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com, after the F1 2024 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Wolff admitted that “sometimes we will tear our hair out” versus witnessing “moments of brilliance” from Antonelli in his rookie F1 season.

“But, it’s also a year of managing expectations for Kimi and preparing our driver line-up for 2026,” Wolff affirmed.

Mercedes currently find themselves with no firm contractual ties when it comes to F1 2026 – the season when new engine and power unit regulations will come into effect – with neither Antonelli nor Russell contracted for that season.

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Alongside his Formula 2 season with Prema, Antonelli also took part in a series of TPC [testing of previous car] tests in Mercedes F1 machinery, and it was his performance in Spa after the Belgian Grand Prix which convinced Mercedes to sign him as Hamilton’s successor.

“In private testing the great speed with which I got to the limit, I struggled at first with the race pace but, after a test in Spa, they saw a clear step forward and were convinced,” Antonelli told Sky Sport Italy.

“And, two days later, came the call that they were taking me for 2025.

“Today in F1, you have a lot of data to look at, there is live telemetry and they can tell you what to do, however, they let me do a lot.

“I had a great test at Spa where I learned how to anticipate tyre degradation.

“I feel ready for F1, at the speed level I will have no problems, I will have to adapt to the procedures.”

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