Revealed: The key ‘question’ looming over Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes

Former Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said the only question facing Kimi Antonelli in his first season at Mercedes will be the “mental side” of the sport, given how much more he will have to take on board next year.

Tost, who oversaw Red Bull’s sister squad when World Champions and race winners in Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly had made their early steps in Formula 1, agreed that “the speed is there” in Antonelli’s case, but warned that the added pressure of stepping up to Formula 1 can have an impact.

‘Mental side’ question raised for Kimi Antonelli ahead of F1 2025 Mercedes move

Antonelli has been signed alongside George Russell for the F1 2025 season to make his debut at the works Mercedes team, replacing Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton to become one of the sport’s youngest ever drivers in the process.

The 18-year-old Italian bypassed Formula 3 after back-to-back Formula 4 and Formula Regional titles to make his Formula 2 debut this season, with his maiden F1 tests impressing Mercedes to the extent where they have chosen him to partner Russell next year.

Tost, who had been one of the longest-serving team principals on the Formula 1 grid prior to his retirement at the end of last season, noted Antonelli’s natural ability behind the wheel as “absolutely no problem” for him.

But with so many extra people to work with in Formula 1 and a packed diary to contend with by comparison to running in junior series, the former AlphaTauri team boss explained that for any young driver, it is “a lot” to take in.

“The speed is there – you can see it,” Tost said to F1.com .

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“It’s always a little bit difficult for a young driver to come into a works team, especially to a team like Mercedes, because there you are really focused, but I’m sure that Toto [Wolff] and his team will prepare him in the best possible way for the next season.

“From the driving [side], I think it’s absolutely no problem for him. He’s fast, he’s high skilled and he will show a good performance.

“The question is from the mental side, because as a young driver in F1 you have to work together with so many different parties.

“The technical side, the chassis engineer, the engine engineer, the aero engineer, all the data engineers, and that means there are a lot of questions coming up.

“You also have to do the marketing work, you have to do the press work, so it’s a lot for a young driver.

“The teams always must be careful with young drivers not to overload them, so that on Sunday, when the red lights go out, they are not tired.”

When asked for what advice he would offer the teenage driver, the former AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso boss added: “Just to look forward to being an F1 driver, be focused, and do the job!”

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