P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The promotion of Kimi Antonelli to Formula 2 in 2024 is one of the biggest moves in junior single seaters since Max Verstappen made the leap from F3 to Formula 1. Already he’s making a statement of intent…
Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a member of the Mercedes junior driver program, has made waves in Formula 2 testing by setting one of the fastest times. At just 17 years old, Antonelli will transition from the Formula Regional European Championship to the F1 feeder series in 2024 with Prema Racing. During the first day of testing at Yas Marina Circuit, Antonelli recorded the second quickest time, trailing only behind Oliver Bearman, a fellow Prema racer who is part of the Ferrari Academy. While it may be too early to predict Antonelli as a title contender for 2024, given the challenges of adapting to F2, his rapid rise echoes that of Max Verstappen, who also made a quick transition to F1. Mercedes also has a promising pool of young talent, including runners-up Frederik Vesti and reserve driver Mick Schumacher, that could potentially replace Lewis Hamilton or George Russell in the coming years if needed.
