P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has revealed how an improvement to his race pace in a F1 test in Belgium was crucial in him landing a race seat with Mercedes.
“Antonelli was mentioned as a potential Mercedes driver when Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was confirmed earlier this year. While he initially struggled with maintaining pace over longer distances, an impressive performance in the W13 at Spa-Francorchamps before the summer break convinced Mercedes to offer him a permanent F1 seat in 2025. Antonelli expressed confidence in his readiness for F1 and aims to achieve victories in his debut season, acknowledging the challenges ahead in managing race weekends and learning procedures. Winning races next year is his dream, though he acknowledges the competitiveness in the field but remains focused on achieving podium finishes as well.”
