The question was posed by an F1 writer, following the decision by the Mercedes team principal to field an unconvincing rookie in the place of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Leo Turrini has a lot of confidence in his young compatriot, but he also drew attention to an interesting aspect:
"Since Giancarlo Fisichella joined Renault, we haven't had an Italian driver with a chance of winning a race. That's why I consider it a great achievement that Kimi Antonelli can be on the grid with Mercedes in 2025. Let's not forget that Mercedes won four races in 2024. I think we can consider them one of the favorites this season. However, we shouldn't underestimate that this also puts even more pressure on Antonelli. He's a very young driver, with absolutely zero experience, who should immediately replace the legendary Lewis Hamilton. Is that madness or genius? Time will tell...
I think Antonelli is an extraordinary talent, even though he completely skipped F3 and has only limited F2 experience. However, everyone I've spoken to has confirmed: he's a talent who has a place on the F1 grid. The rest is up to Mercedes. Will they give him enough time? Is Toto Wolff a true madman or a genius of the era? Or does he just need Kimi Antonelli until Max Verstappen is free? Turrini posed the big questions.
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