Antonelli: Domenicali Hails F1’s New ‘Golden Boy’ Talent

Stefano Domenicali praises Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s potential, urging patience as F1’s “golden boy” proves his exceptional talent.

The CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, described Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes F1’s new driver, as a “golden boy” following his meteoric rise to Formula 1.

However, the former Ferrari team principal urged patience with the Mercedes junior, cautioning that it is unrealistic to expect Antonelli to lead from the start of the season.

“Kimi is a golden boy for F1.”

“He is a great talent, but we must give him time to prove his qualities. We shouldn’t expect him to be at the front from the first lap in Melbourne.”

“I hope so for his sake, but if it doesn’t happen, he has time to grow. His presence is significant for Italian motorsport as a whole.”

Antonelli will be one of six drivers making their full-season debut in F1, alongside Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), and Jack Doohan (Alpine).

Domenicali expressed his delight at the arrival of so many talented young drivers.

“They will bring something special to a championship that, from a technical standpoint, will certainly be very exciting.”

Some see Kimi Antonelli as the next Max Verstappen, a move Toto Wolff would undoubtedly welcome.

“More than Max, this project most resembles the trajectory of Lewis’s career,” replied the Austrian.

“His development in junior categories and his impact in Formula 1 came at a time when there was much more testing allowed than Kimi has had now.”

“At the time, Ron [Dennis, McLaren’s boss] said Lewis should take it slow to get used to F1, especially with Alonso at McLaren. However, that never happened. Lewis was immediately competitive and successful.”

“With the current preparation, Kimi can jump into our car and be competitive. However, F1 is now a very different beast compared to when Lewis started. There are far more dimensions and facets than in the past.”

“There’s more pressure and social media, so I think it’s important to ensure everything evolves in the right direction, to keep the right priorities, and to avoid distractions. The goal is to create a new success story, just as it was with Lewis.”