The second half of the Formula One season has officially started and so much has happened already. Lando Norris won his second Grand Prix, closing the gap between him and Max Verstappen. Logan Sargeant is looking for a new job since Franco Colapinto has taken his seat and Kimi Antonelli has made his first F1 race weekend appearance. However, the last part did not end well.
Kimi Antonelli is a recent name on the F1 grid, but it is rumoured that we’re about to hear a lot more from him. He is most likely going to be the replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in the 2025 season!
Who Is Kimi Antonelli?
Kimi Antonelli is an 18-year-old Italian racing driver with some serious skills. Mercedes F1 took the prodigy under its wing. They also gave him the first real taste of what a Formula One car is capable of. At first, Kimi could only drive the older cars on other tracks to get a feel for the speed. However, testing the car on an empty track compared to participating in a free practice session are two different types of driving.
The young racing driver has won multiple F2 Grand Prix and is considered to have the potential to be one of the best racers on the F1 grid. The only things he needs? Experience and a fast car, and Mercedes is willing to give both to him! Unfortunately, the first real test didn’t end well for Kimi or George Russell’s car!
What Happened During the Monza Free Practice?
George Russell had a day off as Mercedes gave his car to Kimi Antonelli to drive in the free practice session. His first lap in an actual F1 race weekend was at his home track! The race is in Monza, one of the most iconic tracks of all time. Kimi started the free practice session strong. He, and other drivers, treated it like it was a qualifying session. With his second lap being the fastest lap, he would have beaten Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. However, in one of the last corners, Kimi unfortunately lost control of George’s car and spun into the barriers!
