Kimi Antonelli, one of the possibilities to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, is reportedly due to take part in a two-day private test in a prior car in mid-April.
Motorsport.com reports that the 17-year-old will be driving at the Red Bull Ring on April 16 and 17 as the team gives him the opportunity to test Formula 1 machinery after moving up to Formula 2 this season.
Kimi Antonelli scheduled for F1 test in mid-April.
According to multiple reports, the Italian teenager will drive the 2021 Mercedes W12 as part of the TPC [Testing of Previous vehicles] initiative to acclimate to new Formula 1 vehicles.
He has this window open because Formula 2 will not race again until May’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix support schedule, and Antonelli recently made his F2 debut with PREMA in Bahrain.
His results have slowly improved over the first few rounds, with fourth place in the feature race in Melbourne in the final round as he adjusts to his new category.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said the highly rated teenager is one of the options to replace the retiring Hamilton next season, but noted the driver market is dependant on what top target Max Verstappen decides to do with his future at Red Bull.
Wolff has been keen to relieve pressure on Antonelli wherever possible, as the Italian is not even able to compete full-time in Formula One until his 18th birthday in late August.
“We have a slot free, the only one in the top teams, but if Max decides to leave, the slot will no longer be free with us,” Wolff told Fox Sports Australia when asked about Mercedes’ next driver.
“There are a few choices that are really appealing to us, ranging from very young great talent to some of the older, more experienced players. This is unlikely to occur in the near future. I intend to continue to monitor the market.
“[Russell is] a bank. He has that spot since he has been a member of our junior programs for a long time. The reason is because he’s outstanding, so it’s about the second seat. I believe it also depends on what Max does. Then we have a young boy [Antonelli] who seems extremely promising, and I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but he has the potential to be one of the best.
“But we also don’t want him to drown by leaping so rapidly into an F1 car at the age of 17. So we have a few possibilities for playing with him. Obviously, Fernando [Alonso] is really exciting, and Carlos [Sainz] is extremely talented. So, there are several of them. I’m going to play it like a bride – difficult to get!”
