Antonelli gets acquainted with F1 ground effects

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After his maiden test at the wheel of an F1 car at the Red Bull Ring two weeks ago, Andrea Kimi Antonelli was introduced to modern F1 ground effects on Monday at Imola.

The 17-year-old Mercedes protégé, who is being considered as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at the Brackley squad for next season, is in action at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari this week as part of his driver development programme with the German manufacturer.

Mercedes purposefully kicked off Antonelli’s F1 apprenticeship with its 2021 W12 championship winning machine to allow him to comfortably settle into his programme.

But yesterday, he was onboard Mercedes’ 2022 car, its first ground-effects design - of zero-sidepod fame - and the machine that delivered to the team its most recent win, thanks to George Russell in Brazil.

And by the looks of it in the video hereunder, the young charger looked quite at home in the W13 silver arrow.

Antonelli will enjoy more test outings with Mercedes in the coming months while he will resume his campaign in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Prema precisely at Imola on May 17.

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.