Helmut Marko Reveals Why Ferrari Passed on Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes Bets on the Teen Prodigy

Helmut Marko discloses the positions of Red Bull and Ferrari regarding the acquisition of Kimi Antonelli.

According to Helmut Marko, Ferrari decided against recruiting Kimi Antonelli.

Helmut Marko from Red Bull has provided insight into how Kimi Antonelli's future could have taken a different path.

The skilled young driver will participate in the first practice session for Mercedes at the F1 Italian Grand Prix on Friday.

Antonelli, an 18-year-old, is anticipated to be announced as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes, marking a bold decision by the team to trust such a young driver.

Marko asserted that Red Bull, known for its impressive junior driver program, never had the opportunity to think about signing Antonelli.

However, he hints that Ferrari chose not to offer him a contract.

“He was competing under the Tony Kart banner,” Marko mentioned on the Inside Line F1 podcast.

"Tony Kart previously partnered with Ferrari."

"But you can't expect to get every top driver! Ferrari, despite having the first pick, chose not to take Antonelli."

This season, Mercedes has quickly advanced Antonelli to Formula 2, where he has secured victories in both a sprint race and a feature race.

However, if confirmed, taking over Hamilton's spot in a leading Formula 1 team would pose a significant new challenge.

Marko mentioned that he isn't very knowledgeable about Antonelli's specifics. He noted that Antonelli has spent a considerable amount of time testing in a Formula 1 vehicle.

“If an individual possesses the skill, and the team has the courage to pursue it…”

Mercedes' trust in Antonelli mirrors Red Bull's choice to support a young Max Verstappen.

Verstappen, who is aiming for his fourth consecutive F1 championship, has proven that Red Bull's daring decision was the right one.

Marko stated, "We demonstrated it with Max. This is the correct method."

“If there’s a person approaching with talent, bring him on board.”

Did Red Bull's strategy with Verstappen impact Mercedes' decision to support Antonelli?

Marko mentioned that it definitely influenced their decision…

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