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18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli is having a dream debut season in Formula 1 as is currently sitting fifth in the standings after two races. However, the Mercedes rookie is facing an unlikely challenge off the track, struggling to balance his final year in school with his racing commitments.
Antonelli is in his final year at school, but his promotion to the Mercedes team to replace seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has sidelined his studies. Speaking ahead of the third F1 fixture, he opened up about his struggles in finding time for school while racing full-time with the Silver Arrows.
The Mercedes #12 admitted that leaving his education incomplete would be a 'shame,' having worked hard for so many years. Speaking on the The Fast and the Curious podcast, Kimi Antonelli revealed:
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"Yeah, I have the last year of school. I have final exams. So, I'm trying at the moment to fit a date where I can do it which is pretty difficult at the moment." (15:00 onwards)
The Mercedes youngster mostly studies remotely as his racing duties keep him away from home. He understands the significance of academics, but his passion for racing has disrupted the later years of his education. Notably, Antonelli praised his school for helping despite his absence and irregularity. Here's what he said:
"I am getting a lot of help from the school. I am not going to lie. They are sending me stuff over but it's a big commitment. To be honest I always say, 'I really want to do this (racing),' but when I think back, it (school) is important as well. I've been doing you know so many years of school and it would be a shame just to quit on the last year of school and also my mom really cares about it so I will do it for her." (15:21 onwards)
Kimi Antonelli studies at the Salvemini Institute, a government school in Casalecchio di Reno. He also talked about his struggles with mathematics and his love for English.
Kimi Antonelli opens up about his "good relationship" with Mercedes team principal
Kimi Antonelli has been a part of Mercedes' junior program since his formative years, racing under the guidance of Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff. He made his admiration for his team principal known during the aformentioned podcast, saying:
"I have been with him (Wolff) since 2018. My first time on track was with him. I was watching FP1 in Monaco, standing next to him. So, over the years we (have) build a good relationship of course not only a professional relationship but also a relationship outside racing. which is nice." (17:58 onwards)
The Mercedes junior was fast-tracked from Formula 3 after winning the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) under Wolff's watch. Following this, he joined Mercedes' senior team, testing and competing for them in select events in 2024 and getting accustomed to their Mercedes-AMG F1 W16 E Performance. Antonelli is filling in the big shoes of Hamilton, who left for Ferrari after 12 years with the Silver Arrows and has not looked out of place.
Kimi Antonelli has earned points in all three F1 events this season, securing a fifth-place finish in his debut at the rain-hit Australian GP. With 22 points to his credit, Antonelli sits in fifth place in the 2025 F1 standings and looks to build on his early season momentum.
