Andrea Kimi Antonelli will drive alongside George Russell for Mercedes in 2025, according to an announcement made last weekend. The Italian therefore fills big shoes, succeeding Lewis Hamilton, who will move for Ferrari. Meanwhile, many individuals have expressed their thoughts on Antonelli, including McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Oscar Piastri Statement On Newbie Antonelli
Piastri: “Antonelli will be a great competitor. “He appeared to be pretty speedy yesterday in FP1. Obviously, his workout was brief, but the laps he completed appeared to be quite competitive. You know, he’s also quite competitive in the younger divisions. I know it’s been a little difficult for him in F2, but I believe it’s been a challenging year stated Piastri, who also believes Antonelli will be fast in Formula One right soon.
“I think he will be competitive. Obviously, he’s extremely young, but Mercedes definitely placed him in a race-winning vehicle for a purpose, and I’m confident he’ll be a terrific contender next year,” Piastri said.
Norris is less excited about Antonelli’s presence in Formula One.
Norris is less bothered with Antonelli’s arrival. “He’ll be in Formula One because he’s probably talented enough, and Toto believes he has a lot of potential. So he’s shown himself a lot in the junior categories and is working his way up,” added Norris, who has taken a similar route, fast progressing from Formula 2 to Formula 1.
“I believe the transition from F4 to F2 is a significant one. Yes, it’s a significant step, so it hasn’t been easy for him, but going from F2 to F1 is a lot. So I’m sure it’ll be a steep learning curve for him, steeper than most of us have ever experienced, which usually comes with pressure and such. So, as long as he handles it properly, and learns from one of the finest here as a teammate, I’m confident he’ll be up to speed in no time,” the Briton said.