Mercedes has planned a two-day take a look at from 16 April for its highly-rated junior driver in Austria, the effect he’ll bear the wheel of the 2021 Mercedes W12.
The acclimatisation take a look at will be the 17-365 days-identical earlier’s first of several planned F1 outings this 365 days as Mercedes prepares him to step as much as F1 within the lengthy tear, together with to his responsibilities within the System 2 championship with Prema.
Antonelli is into account for promotion to F1 pending on his development this 365 days, with Mercedes having the vacant seat of Lewis Hamilton to maintain for the 2025 season and beyond.
It could well most likely most likely possibly per chance additionally strive to location the Italian at a buyer workers or think to hand him a 2nd season in F2, having graduated to the sequence straight from System Regional European Championship by Alpine by skipping System 3.
Following a worldly weekend for Prema in Bahrain, Antonelli moved as much as ninth within the standings in Melbourne thanks to a fourth location within the characteristic drag, from 2nd on the grid.
Team-mate Oliver Bearman scored his first point after making a highly-publicised F1 debut with Ferrari in Jeddah.
F2 doesn’t drag over again till the Imola spherical in Would possibly possibly possibly, giving Antonelli a window to habits F1 checking out.
Rodin driver and Sauber junior Zane Maloney leads the championship after three rounds, earlier than Paul Aron and Dennis Hauger.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Pictures
Commenting on the vacant Mercedes seat for 2025, workers predominant Toto Wolff talked about he would bear his time to make his determination, partly dictated by any availability of Max Verstappen.
“There are a few alternate choices which will seemingly be primarily spirited for us – from the very younger tremendous skill to any individual of completely different ones, who’re very experienced,” he quick Fox Sports Australia in Melbourne.
“That’s no longer going to happen within the following few weeks or months. I deserve to continue to video display the market. It is miles reckoning on what Max does.”
As phase of F1’s checking out of a earlier vehicle rules, checks will seemingly be done with 2022-spec equipment from this 365 days, which undergo extra resemblance to the most trendy sever of automobiles.
That device Antonelli would also be allowed to sample Mercedes’ 2022 W13 at future checks.
