Former F1 Team Owner Questions Antonelli Mercedes Promotion

Chris Ladd | Sep 6, 2024

Andrea Kimi Antonelli - Prema Racing /

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been confirmed as Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes starting in 2025. The Italian driver has built an impressive resume in the junior categories, securing titles in Formula 4 and the Formula Regional European Championship, and earning two victories in his debut Formula 2 season with the Prema team.

However, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan believes that Antonelli would be better served making his Formula 1 debut with a different team rather than Mercedes. Jordan’s view likely stems from the immense pressure and high expectations that come with stepping into the shoes of a seven-time world champion like Hamilton.

Despite Jordan’s concerns, Antonelli’s talent and track record suggest he could be a formidable driver at the top level, and Mercedes clearly sees him as a key part of their future. His transition into Formula 1 will be closely watched as he steps into one of the most coveted seats in the sport.

Antonelli's first FP1 session in Formula 1 at Monza started on a tough note, as he crashed his Mercedes W15 just minutes into the session. Toto Wolff, Mercedes' team principal, likened the wreckage to a "Lego box." Antonelli himself admitted that he pushed beyond the limit, leading to the incident.

"I thought the pressure of Mercedes would be too much for Kimi on his debut and his first run - it turned out that's the way it was," Jordan explained on his Formula For Success podcast, as quoted by Racingnews365.com. "I still believe there is a place for Kimi, but it is not at Mercedes."

"I don't care how quick he is, he should be placed somewhere that will give Toto and his team the chance to learn for a year [in another team] and then come up that way."

In a conversation with co-host David Coulthard, Eddie Jordan compared Antonelli’s situation to that of Max Verstappen, who made his Formula 1 debut at 17 with Toro Rosso (now VCARB) in 2015 before being promoted to Red Bull. Jordan explained that this as the ideal path for young drivers entering the sport, suggesting that Antonelli should follow a similar route by starting with a team like Williams or another less competitive team where Mercedes' Toto Wolff could place him.

Jordan noted the importance of "earning the right" to drive for a top team.

"At the moment, I don't see how Antonelli has earned the right, not yet, and it doesn't give me a factor of total belief."