Formula 1: Mercedes have another talented junior (and it's not Antonelli)
Mercedes junior driver Kenzo Craigie has taken the British karting scene by storm over the last few seasons. Having turned 14 years old just a few months ago, the British driver has received lots of praise internationally, most notably from Lewis Hamilton.
Craigie recently wrapped up his 2024 season by winning the X30-J title at the IAME World Finals, which was his second karting title of the year.
The 14-year-old has proven his talent thus far and is receiving a lot of support and hype similar to what Kimi Antonelli received over the last few seasons. The Italian driver shot his way up through the ranks and even managed to skip Formula 3, ultimately earning his chance in Formula 1 as Hamilton’s Mercedes replacement at the age of just 18 years old.
Craigie has a lot of promise for one particular reason: he is the only driver ever to simultaneously hold both the FIA Junior OKJ and IAME Junior X30 World titles. The Junior OKJ karting championship is a very prestigious one, one which several great drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen have competed in.
Craigie has the potential to reach the top
Moving forward, Craigie has a very long road ahead of him before he can even think about making it to Formula 1. Having just turned 14 years old, he has to spend 2025 karting in other international series he has not yet conquered. In 2026, however, he is set to turn 15, which is the minimum age required to compete in British Formula 4.
His performance in single-seater racing should provide Mercedes with a great display of what his capabilities are. If Craigie can match or even exceed what Antonelli did in his younger days, it would not be much of a surprise if the 14-year-old skips Formula 3 and goes directly into Formula 2 as well.
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Craigie is a fantastic talent who has been dominating the junior karting circuit. Mercedes truly have another talented junior driver on their hands who has every ability to become a Formula 1 driver a few years down the road.
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