Within the next few days, Monza will become the racing capital of the world. As the 2o24 Italian GP nears, anticipations and manifestations of all sorts, gain pace. On one hand, we have Logan Sargeant, whose F1 career is hanging on a balance. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli‘s journey in F1 might get announced soon. Although Mercedes doesn’t wish to reveal any information, their actions speak louder than their words.

Right before the Dutch GP, the boss of the Silver Arrows, Toto Wolff, leaked some information: “The two drivers in our car next year have our full support. I want to make it work with George and Kimi.” As you can, a minor slip of the tongue has now become the talk of the town. But, if this is true (which is most likely) then, we might see the Mercedes protege in the Brackley outfit next season.

Williams is expected to have a vacant seat. So, will Kimi Antonelli replace Logan Sargeant from Monza onwards? No. Toto Wolff himself has confirmed this. At the same time, he has mentioned that Antonelli will drive in FP1 at the 2024 Italian GP, replacing George Russell. “We’re going to do FP1 with Kimi in Monza, which is going to be a really emotional moment because we followed him since he was 11,” Mercedes team principal Wolff said.

The Italian driver, who just turned 18, is allegedly the heir to Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes legacy. However, he hasn’t raced in an official F1 session yet. So, in his home F1 race, the young F2 star will take on the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit with his prowess. Moreover, this will be a perfect opportunity for Wolff to try out his experiments. Kimi Antonelli in the current W15, would be crucial to understand if he is comfortable in it and work on the 2025 model accordingly. How will that be helpful?

Kimi Antonelli’s FP1 session in Monza will create a great observation opportunity for Toto Wolff

The Free Practice Session will be a benchmark for how Kimi Antonelli feels in the car. This observation will be extremely crucial to understanding how the youngster’s 2025 will initiate. Toto Wolff is aiming for the best, of course, so Antonelli’s drive in Monza will be evaluable. Moreover, this will set the first cornerstone for better development and modifications for next year’s speeding beast.

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff himself had a special tone of sentimentality in his voice when he announced Antonelli for Friday’s session. “From a baby go-kart driver with a Mercedes kit, proud to be in the garage, to seeing him drive out on Friday in FP1 in Monza, in front of the Tifosi, having an Italian kid in a competitive car, I think that will be something that everybody in Italy can be very proud of.” Shared Wolff. This will be a special moment for Italy, as they’ll have a homegrown F1 driver after years. Kimi Antonelli’s promising skills and strong first F2 season are fueling confidence in his talent. Could he truly become the next Max Verstappen?

See, the theory is simple- Toto Wolff wants to see if Kimi Antonelli is comfortable in the Mercedes F1 car or not. Why is he doing this? To see, if the Italian driver will be alright in 2025. No matter how hard the Silver Arrows boss tried to hide facts now, one thing is for sure: Kimi Antonelli is most likely replacing the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. Moreover, Antonelli doesn’t have to become the next Verstappen, he could simply be himself, making the next-gen look up to him, assuming they could be the next Kimi Antonelli. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.