In recent days, rumors have begun to circulate of a sensational change at Williams starting from the Emilia Romagna GP, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli who would replace Logan Sargeant: this rumor is however a simple supposition at the moment, and Antonelli’s debut in the Imola race seems more unachievable than plausible for a series of reasonsboth regulatory and common sense.
The Joe Saward hypothesis
Let’s start from the beginning: where does this voice come from? He was the first to talk about this hypothesis Joe Saward, journalist and author linked to the world of F1. On his blog, last April 23rd, Saward published a very long post (which you can find HERE), in which, among other things, he also talks about the Chinese GP, dividing the analysis into various themes. When it comes to talking about Mercedes, the Englishman says this.
Mercedes has a different problem. The team is currently evaluating whether it is a good idea to put its wonderkid Andrea Kimi Antonelli in place of Lewis Hamilton in 2025. The 17-year-old Italian recently spent two days testing a 2021 Mercedes W12 in Austria, and a series of further tests are expected testing in the coming weeks with a 2022 W13. The team appears keen to promote Antonelli, but is concerned that this may be too big a step, and that it would be better for him to spend some time in a smaller team before joining to Mercedes in 2026. Antonelli could be loaned to Williams, who are looking for a driver at the moment. Williams would take Antonelli if they could have him for 18 months, but the problem is that he won’t be able to get his FIA Super License until August 25, when he turns 18. Williams could try to ask the FIA for an exception, as there were no problems for Max Verstappen when he made his F1 debut at the age of 17, and if a youngster has what it takes then he should be allowed. This is a great point.
There is a lot of value in F1 having a new rising star, particularly an Italian one. It’s a positive story, and the FIA could use it right now. Rejection would be another bad story for the Federation. If Antonelli gets an exception, it would be behind the wheel of Williams at Imola on May 19, the perfect place for a driver from Bologna to make his F1 debut.
Joe Saward
Saward therefore does not explicitly say that Antonelli will be in Imola, nor does he make it clear that he has information about it. Simply, he analyzes the situation at Mercedes: that Antonelli is a contender for Hamilton’s seat in 2025 was clear from the exact moment the Englishman’s arrival at Ferrari was announced, and we ourselves talked about it here. The situation is not that simple, and it is not excluded that the Italian could spend a year at Williams before joining the Brackley team.
At this point, Saward says how Williams could also speed up the process, lining up Antonelli starting from the Imola GP (which for him, who is from Bologna, would truly be a home GP), thus “saying goodbye” to Logan Sargeant after his home race, in Miami. However, it is good to clarify one point: Saward’s is a reflection, not an indiscretion, and the English journalist himself does not fuel any rumors. This aspect must be kept in mind, because all those who have reported this news have done so by quoting Saward, and none of the most authoritative sources on the international scene have said anything about it.
There are also various reasons why Antonelli could not and should not race at Imola, both regulatory and common sense. Let’s analyze them together.
Because Antonelli COULD NOT race at Imola
Short answer: Antonelli is a minorand will be until August 25th, when he turns 18. From 2016 the regulation for obtaining the FIA Superlicencenecessary to race in F1, has been heavily editedinserting new requirements. First of all, it is necessary to obtain relevant results in the three years preceding the debut in F1. By placing in a certain position in a certain series you get points, and by reaching 40 you can “unlock” the Super License. Points can also be obtained by competing in free practice for F1 GPs (1 point per session for a maximum of 10 points) or by completing an entire FIA championship without receiving penalty points (2 points). For Antonelli this requirement is not a problembecause with the victories in the Italian and German F4 championships in 2022, and in the Middle Eastern and European Formula Regionals in 2023, he has already achieved the necessary points, which he will also keep for 2025 regardless of how the F2 season goes. In addition to the points, obtaining a valid driving license and passing a knowledge test of the F1 regulations are also requirements for obtaining the Superlicence.. These two points are minor, and so far no one has been denied a Superlicense for them.
And finally there is one last requirement: the age of majority. Being 18 years old became mandatory in 2016, after Max Verstappen’s debut in Formula 1. Previously it was simply not specified that it was necessary to be 18 years old, and so Verstappen made his debut in Toro Rosso as a minor: the rules have now changed, however, and this is also the reason why comparing the Antonelli case to the Verstappen case, also having “speed races” for whoever reaches a seat in F1 first, is senseless.
Rumor has it that the FIA might make an exception: he would probably have the power to do so, although there is no certainty. And if he did, so be it, this whole discussion would fall by the wayside. The important thing is to keep in mind that this situation is very different from what happened with Verstappen, when the FIA made no exceptions: simply, nothing was specified in this regard, and that’s why this change was introduced the following year .
Why Antonelli SHOULD NOT race at Imola
Now, we have said why the rumor is not a real rumor, and we have listed the regulatory reasons that would prevent Antonelli from already racing in Imola. But let’s assume that the rumor is true and that there is indeed a possibility that the FIA will give the OK. Would it really make sense to see Antonelli race at Imola?
I have to go unbalanced, well aware that, if I were to be proven wrong, I would look like shit: no, it wouldn’t make sense. First of all, it is not clear why the FIA should make an exception to the regulations for him: we know that Kimi is a phenomenon, but his debut in Formula 2 was not sparkling. Let’s clarify, those who know a little about it didn’t expect much better, from the category jump from Regional to F2, to the fact that he had never raced on the first three tracks (Sakhir, Jeddah and Bahrain). Indeed, if we exclude a couple of errors, one can even say that it could have been worse, aware of the fact that when the category returns to the track in Imola, the young Prema driver from Bologna will find himself on tracks that are more familiar to him. But in any case, the results achieved so far in F2 are not such as to justify an exception, and it is right that Antonelli proves that he deserves the place with an important placing at the end of the year. Which anyone who has seen him run has absolutely no doubt about.
Furthermore, Antonelli could be the rookie with the least experience behind the wheel of an F1 in history: so far he has only done two days of testing at the Red Bull Ring with the 2021 carwhich among other things is not even the current generation, introduced in 2022. According to the regulation, it is possible to carry out free tests with cars that are at least two years old, and therefore you could also try with 2022 cars: something that Antonelli will certainly do (and should do shortly), but which has not happened at the moment. He couldn’t even get on track in FP1 before Imola, because the Sprint Race is in Miami and Williams will certainly want to give as much time as possible to the starting drivers. And then, here too, the question of the slopes returns: looking at the 2024 F1 calendar from Imola onwards, the Bolognese has never raced in Monaco, Montreal, Silverstone, Baku, Singapore, Austin, Mexico City, Interlagos, Las Vegas and Lusailwhile in the others he only raced with a Formula Regional, which has about a quarter of the power of an F1.
And finally, one final consideration: Williams’ problems with spare chassis are well known. But would it really be worthwhile for them to have a driver who, yes, is a phenomenon, but would still be a rookie, even more of a rookie than rookies?
In conclusion: but what’s the rush? Those who know Antonelli’s value, also knowing how much Mercedes believes in him, have no doubt that he will get his chance at the right time and deserve it on the field. Why do we have to push to have him already in Imola, in less than a month, with the risk that at the first hypothetical crash in FP1 he will immediately be crucified?
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