Andrea Kimi Antonelli - 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton’s potential replacement at Mercedes - is taking part in his F1 test debut todℱay as he auditions for a 2025 seat.

The 17-year-old Italian is getting his first taste of F1 macꦇhinery on Tuesday in a 2021 Mercedes W12 at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Antonelli is believed to be the favourite to replace the Ferrari-bound Hamilton and become 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:George Russell’s teammate at Mercedes in 2025.

Mercedes are evaluating their highly-rated♈ pro⛦tege in the first of two F1 tests planned for this year, with Antonelli also scheduled to drive the team’s 2022 car later this season.

Antonelli’s progress in his roo🃏kie Formula 2 season with Prema will also be closely monitored by Mercedes as they weigh up can♋didates to fill their vacant seat.

After missing out to Red Bull on 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen,ജ Mercedes are wary about letting another teenage sensation slip away.

Despite enduring a tough start to the F2 season, Antonelli has already racked up the required supe𝄹r licence points thanks to his title triumphs in ADAC F4 and Formula Regional championships.

Onc𒅌༺e the former karting phenomenon turns 18 on August 25, he will be eligible to race in F1.

Speaking about✨ Mercedes’ private test plans for Antonelli, team boss Toto Wolff said: “The programme of Kimi driving Formula 1 has been in place for a long time and hasn't changed massively over the last few weeks.

“What we have done is added more days, but what you will see in the next few months has be🍸en in place, whether or not he's𒀰 going to sit in a Formula 1 car next year.

“We're going to do a few of these days for him to get comfortable in an F1 car. He's driving the 2021 car in Austria for the first time. We want to give him a feeling of what a reaꦗlly good car feels like before we put him in the ’22!

“Obviously, he's been our youn🍸g boy since a long time and we're keen to see what he's able to do in a🔜 Formula 1 car.

“[Ferrari reserve] Ollie Bearman was refreshing to look at how competitive he was in Saudi Arabia. No free pract🔜ice, high speed, complicated track, and he was right up there. So Kimi would be do﷽ing just fine.”

Asked about Mercedes’ driver dilemma for 2025, with experienced alternatives such as168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Carlos Sainz available, 🐽Wolff said: “You can look at it from vario🧸us perspectives.

“I believe that we are in a rebuild phase. You need to ackno🃏wledge that now three years into these regulations, we have got to do things differently than we've done in the past without throwing overboard what we believe is goodness in the way we operate.

“It could mean putting a young driver in there and giving him an opportunity with less pressure than fighting for vic♔tories immediately, or putting a more ex🦂perienced driver in the car that can help us dig ourselves out of the current performance picture.”