Formula 1: Why Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli approach has backfired
The majority of Formula 1 teams pride themselves on developing junior drivers until they make it to the top. Red Bull is a fantastic example, as their talent pipeline has been consistently strong for several years.
They have had drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen come through their junior ranks and end up winning multiple world championships.
Mercedes, on the other hand, have not been very proactive in building their junior team. Esteban Ocon and George Russell have been the only two notable names to come through their junior team, and now Kimi Antonelli has become their latest driver to make it to Formula 1.
However, Toto Wolff and Mercedes gave the Italian driver a lot of prioritization, and it has and will continue to hurt the team in the long run.
Mercedes have no other drivers in Formula 2 or Formula 3
Developing younger drivers is advantageous in many ways for Formula 1 teams, yet managing those drivers is key. Red Bull do a wonderful job in managing their talent, whereas Mercedes chose to prioritize Antonelli.
As a result, Paul Aron left the junior team towards the end of 2023, despite having finished in third place in the Formula 3 championship.
An underdeveloped junior team could leave Mercedes with minimal options if they need a replacement or look to loan a driver to another team on the grid, just like they did with Russell when he arrived in Formula 1 with Williams in 2019.
Antonelli’s promotion is the first time Mercedes have directly brought a driver up from their junior team, and continuing that trend would presumably require having successful junior drivers in Formula 2 or Formula 3.
If Wolff wants to fix this issue, it may be best to either sign more young drivers or perhaps attempt to poach academy drivers from other teams on the grid.
Having a junior driver as the team’s reserve for a full season would not be a bad idea at all, and it seems to have worked well for McLaren, who signed former Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri ahead of the 2023 season.
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Mercedes may face the risk of falling behind if their future is not secure, as both Russell and Antonelli have deals that are set to expire at the end of next season. If Wolff ever wants to promote another rookie to the team, he will not be able to do so for quite some time.
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