Damon Hill shares his biggest concern with Kimi Antonelli driving in F1 in 2024

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One of the most discussed names in the Formula 1 paddock this season has never taken part in a single F1 session in his career, but that could change sooner rather than later.

Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli stepped up from FRECA to Formula 2 over the winter, but excitement and expectation was already growing on the Italian teenager before he’d even raced alongside Oliver Bearman for PREMA.

Now, the FIA have introduced a change to their rules that could allow Antonelli to step up to F1 before his 18^th birthday which was when he would have previously had to wait, even if it was just to take part in a practice session.

There has already been a suggestion that Antonelli might be on the grid as early as the British Grand Prix.

Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, former world champion Damon Hill has been speaking about the potential promotion of the young Italian.

Hill is under no illusions that Antonelli may already be an extremely talented young driver.

However, he does have one concern about someone as young as Antonelli stepping up to Formula 1.

Damon Hill shares his concern with Kimi Antonelli driving in F1 in 2024

Formula 2 has produced some thrilling racing in the past but many fans have been keeping an eye on the series for another reason this year.

With so much hype around Antonelli, people have been interested to see how he gets on racing against the likes of Bearman and highly-rated Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar and Alpine’s Victor Martins.

Antonelli is the youngest driver in the field and currently sits 6^th in the Drivers’ Championship.

He may not have produced an outstanding performance just yet, but his consistency in a series notorious for drivers having plenty of ups and downs has stood out.

Antonelli is yet to finish on the podium for PREMA but has only missed out on scoring points in three out of the first 10 races.

His racecraft for a 17-year-old is impressive but Hill is concerned that he may have a similar attitude to Max Verstappen when he entered F1.

The Dutchman is still the youngest driver ever to race in F1 and while he was very fast, he also wasn’t shy when it came to diving into some rather risky moves.

He’s improved on that aspect of his racing in recent years, but Antonelli may be equally keen to impress if and then he gets his chance in Formula 1.

Kimi Antonelli linked with Williams move before 2025 Mercedes seat

Asked if being 17 years old is too young to drive in F1, Hill said: “You’ve got no fear, your frontal lobe hasn’t properly wired up, so the rational reasoning part of the brain isn’t fully developed until you’re about 25.

“The problem you have then is what you saw with Max [Verstappen], he was doing what he thought he could get away with.

“And everyone else is going, ‘Woah mate, there’s other people here too, it’s not just about you!’

“It’s a conceptual problem when you’re very young really is the issue.

“It’s nothing to do with whether you’re capable of driving very fast, it is I think to do with maturity and whether or not that person is driving in a way that is taking into account the consequences for those around them as well.

“You have no fear when you’re young.

“He’s probably mature enough to be an excellent, tactical driver and a great overtaker and all those things we hope to see from the very best.

“But I’m just saying, what’s the point of bringing in an age limit and then saying on a special occasion we’ll make an exception?

“Why don’t they just judge people on whether the FIA think they’re mature enough and capable enough to enter F1.”

Kimi Antonelli stepping up preparations

It would be a surprise if Antonelli stepped straight into an F1 seat without at least taking part in a practice session.

He’s been testing intensely behind the scenes but only in the 2022 car and without 19 other F1 cars pushing to the limits around him.

Mercedes are expected to put Antonelli in Lewis Hamilton’s seat for 2025 even if he replaces Logan Sargeant for the rest of the season at Williams before Carlos Sainz’s expected arrival.