P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes protege Antonelli set for maiden F1 test
Mercedes has scheduled a two-day test session starting on 16 April in Austria for their highly-regarded junior driver, who will drive the 2021 Mercedes W12 during the acclimatisation test. This outing is the young driver’s first of several planned F1 experiences this year, alongside his Formula 2 commitments with Prema. With a vacant seat expected in the 2025 season, the team is considering promoting Antonelli to F1 based on his progress, which could mean a customer team placement or a second F2 season. Following a challenging weekend in Bahrain, Antonelli improved to ninth in the standings in Melbourne, while his teammate Bearman scored his first point after debuting with Ferrari in Jeddah. F2 action won’t resume until the Imola round in May, offering Antonelli a window for further F1 testing before the season proceeds. Toto Wolff mentioned that the choice for the 2025 vacant Mercedes seat is unresolved, and any decision could be influenced by the availability and actions of Max Verstappen. As part of F1’s car regulations testing, driving 2022-spec machinery in future tests, including Mercedes’ 2022 W13, is also on the cards for Antonelli.
