18-year-old prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli passes driving test weeks before Formula One debut

Rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli has passed his driving test just six weeks before he makes his Formula One debut for Mercedes at the Australian Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old, who is replacing Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion opted to move to Ferrari, was pictured in a Mercedes social media post sitting in a driving school car giving a thumbs up to the camera, accompanied by the caption: “Mission completed.”

In previous years, drivers have been required to hold a valid driver’s license for the country listed as their nationality in order to qualify for a Super License, which allows them to compete in F1. They have also had to be 18 or older.

The rule was introduced in 2016, after Max Verstappen made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix the previous year aged 17 years and 166 days. Verstappen was involved in a number of collisions early in his career, including a high-speed crash with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean at the Monaco Grand Prix in the Dutchman’s rookie season. His previous incidents haven’t hampered the Red Bull man at all though, as he has gone on to win the world drivers’ championship four consecutive years.

However, the regulations were altered last year amid efforts from Mercedes to allow Antonelli to participate in F1 practice sessions ahead of his 18th birthday on August 25, 2024.

The clause requiring the likes of Antonelli to hold a driver’s license was removed, and a new clause allowed special dispensation to be given to 17-year-old drivers “judged to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition.”

“The president of the FIA always had the ability and discretion of letting a driver drive, if you believe that the performance was good enough,” said Mercedes F1 Team CEO Toto Wolff, per Formula1.com, in June.

“I think the change of regulations isn’t (about) Antonelli, it is generally to make sure that drivers with the right pedigree, CVs, success and maturity are able to race in F1, rather than a birth date. I think that was the right decision.”

Antonelli subsequently made his free practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix, momentarily recording the fastest lap before suffering a high-speed crash after 12 minutes. Despite significant damage to the car, he walked away unscathed.

The rookie will begin preseason testing alongside teammate George Russell in Bahrain on February 26. Mercedes will be hoping the pair can improve upon the team’s showing in 2024, when it finished a distant fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, its worst finish in 12 years.

But, however Antonelli performs in his debut season, at least he will be able to drive home from the airport.

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