Monza 2024. Free practice one. Andrea Kimi Antonelli – known simply as Kimi to most – is getting his first taste of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 E PERFORMANCE. His first lap puts him at the top of the timesheets, and he’s flying through the second. He scythes through the Lesmo 2 corner at 184km/h, then rockets through the Ascari chicane at 190km/h.

As he enters the final Parabolica corner, the rear end slides loose, sending Kimi into the tyre wall. His Formula 1 debut ends there – but in less than five minutes, the young Italian has made a bigger impact on his team than the collision he experienced with the Monza barrier.

Throughout free practice one, no driver would best Kimi’s corner speeds. While it was sheer pace that caused his overheated tyres to bite him hard halfway through Parabolica, his tremendous natural speed made it clear he’s more than capable of driving an F1 car to its limit.

As team principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Toto Wolff explained later: “We would rather have a problem in slowing him down than making him faster. What we have seen in one and a half laps is just astonishing.”

Kimi’s raw natural talent gave the team principal the confidence to promote the 18-year-old into the race seat vacated by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, and partner him with George Russell for the 2025 season and beyond.

“It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025,” says Kimi.