Kimi Antonelli told he had the ‘easiest’ job of all the F1 rookies despite replacing Lewis Hamilton

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Despite being the youngest driver on the grid and replacing a seven-time world champion in Lewis Hamilton, Marc Surer is certain that Kimi Antonelli had the easiest drive out of every other rookie on the F1 grid.

Kimi Antonelli started his Formula 1 career by being the highest-placed rookie on the grid at the end of the season.

Granted, the young Italian was in machinery that was capable of podiums on its day, but he still put in some mesmerising performances to get the job done.

The 19-year-old had a task on his hands upon being given the seat at Mercedes. Replacing Lewis Hamilton is not an easy feat, but Antonelli stepped up to the plate with a brilliant P4 in Melbourne.

Turbulence came during the middle of the season, when the F1 circus arrived at the European leg of the campaign.

However, Antonelli showed exactly why he was trusted with a seat at Mercedes by clawing his way out of the rut he was experiencing and back onto the podium.

• READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli has just told Mercedes where he needs to improve most going into 2026

Marc Surer believes Kimi Antonelli had the ‘easiest’ job out of all the rookies on the 2025 F1 grid

During an interview with Formel1.de, former F1 driver Marc Surer was asked who he thinks the strongest debutant in the 2025 campaign was. Isack Hadjar was his immediate answer, and the 74-year-old went on to explain his choice.

He said, “At the first race, he was crying, and then he showed that he absolutely belongs in Formula 1. We also have to consider in the assessment of the young drivers how well they were prepared.

“How many test kilometres did they have behind them? Bortoleto had very few, for example. So Bortoleto actually had to learn all of this during the season. Antonelli, of course, drove thousands of kilometres in Mercedes’ two-year-old Formula 1 car.

“He knew the car, and he already knew the team, so for him it was the easiest. Nevertheless, he also had a slump in the middle of the year, so you can see how complicated Formula 1 is.

“Bortoleto improved, but at his home race, he was a bit overwhelmed, unfortunately. But it must be said that Bortoleto has shown that he is not accidentally the Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion, but that he can also do it in Formula 1.

“We actually only got good ones, if you will. Antonelli has shown that he will probably win races at some point. Hadjar will get a test next year, alongside the strongest man in Formula 1. Bearman has impressed all year. And yes, from that perspective, we only got good ones.”

• READ MORE: Ted Kravitz suggests Kimi Antonelli has now changed his mind about racing Lewis Hamilton in 2025

Kimi Antonelli ended the season with some strong results after a difficult period during the European leg

As previously alluded to, Antonelli’s most difficult period of his debut season in F1 came during the middle of the season on his home continent.

He suffered four early retirements in the space of six race weekends, starting with his home Grand Prix at Imola, and ending with the Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Slapped bang in the middle of those retirements was his maiden podium, which came in Montreal.

The stark contrast of his results in Europe compared to elsewhere in the world was striking, and Antonelli thinks it was because of the ‘unnecessary’ pressure he put on himself while he had his family in the grandstands.

Antonelli also cited Toto Wolff’s guidance as an integral part of his revival. The Mercedes boss put his faith solely in the 19-year-old at the start of the season, and faced some heat because of it.

However, Antonelli’s back-to-back podiums in Austin and Sao Paulo signified a shift in mentality, which is an exciting development for the future.