Mercedes slams the brakes on Antonelli’s Nürburgring dream

Mercedes and Andrea Kimi Antonelli may be dominating Formula 1 in 2026, but the Brackley squad has absolutely no intention of letting their teenage superstar go full Max Verstappen and throw himself at the Nordschleife in a GT car anytime soon.

Because while the rest of the motorsport world was busy applauding Verstappen for wrestling his Mercedes-AMG GT3 around the Nürburgring like a caffeinated maniac with nothing to lose, Mercedes executives were collectively clutching their clipboards at the mere suggestion that Antonelli might fancy a crack at it too.

Antonelli – all of 19 years old and somehow already leading the Formula 1 world championship by 20 points over team-mate George Russell – recently admitted he would love to earn his DMSB Nordschleife Permit by the end of the year.

In simpler terms: the Italian wunderkind wants permission to hurl himself into the Green Hell and see what happens.

Mercedes’ response was swift, polite, and dripping with the kind of parental energy usually reserved for confiscating car keys on prom night.

The Green Hell can wait

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord did not exactly leave room for interpretation when asked whether Antonelli would be allowed anywhere near the Nordschleife this season.

“No. I’ve spoken to him about it. I think he meant it more as a joke,” he said.

Translation: absolutely not, please stop asking before Toto Wolff develops stress-induced tinnitus. Lord then twisted the knife with a wonderfully dry follow-up.

“Give it a try after four world championships!”

That, of course, was a not-so-subtle nod toward Verstappen, who has already collected four titles and therefore appears to have earned the right to spend his weekends taming 170 corners through German woodland at mildly alarming speeds.

Lord added that Verstappen “perhaps has a bit more range thanks to his experience”.

Experience being the key word here. Mercedes sees Antonelli not as a teenager hunting side quests, but as a priceless investment currently delivering victories with terrifying efficiency.

And why would they risk that?

The Italian has already become the first driver in Formula 1 history to convert his opening three pole positions into victories. Three poles. Three wins. No hesitation. No warm-up period. Just immediate chaos for the rest of the grid.

• Read also: Heartbreak for Verstappen at the Nürburgring but ‘I’ll be back’

Now he heads to the Canadian Grand Prix chasing a fourth consecutive victory while Mercedes continues its ruthless unbeaten run through 2026.

The Silver Arrows sit comfortably atop the constructors’ standings with 180 points, 70 clear of Scuderia Ferrari, and the last thing anyone in Stuttgart wants is their championship leader discovering what happens when a GT car encounters Nürburgring barriers at the wrong angle.

Which, to be fair, is a fairly common Nürburgring hobby.

So for now, Antonelli’s Nürburgring dreams remain firmly parked in the garage. The Green Hell will have to wait its turn. Mercedes has a world championship to win first.

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