Mercedes protégé Antonelli makes big first impression in F2

©Instagram/AndreaKimiAntonelli

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©Instagram/AndreaKimiAntonelli

It’s perhaps the biggest and most talked about promotion for a young driver since Max Verstappen’s high-profile jump from F3 to F1 in 2015.

Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli is on the path to motorsport’s elite, but the 17-year-old Italian has already garnered attention for his impressive performance in Formula 2 testing on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

Set to transition from the Formula Regional European Championship to Formula 2 in 2024, Antonelli has secured a coveted seat with Prema Racing.

During the initial day of testing at Yas Marina, he clocked the second-fastest time, trailing behind Ferrari Academy Driver and fellow Prema racer Oliver Bearman by just 0.165s.

While it might be premature to label Antonelli as a title favorite for 2024, given the notorious challenges of adapting to F2, his swift rise inevitably echoes Verstappen’s own trajectory, drawing parallels to the Dutch driver's quick promotion to Toro Rosso after a year in Formula 3.

And we all know how that story turned out...

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.