Teenager gets his license, just weeks before his Formula 1 debut

Teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli has taken his driving test just six weeks before he makes his Formula 1 debut for Mercedes at the Australian Grand Prix, writes A2 CNN.

The 18-year-old, who is replacing Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion decided to switch to Ferrari, was seen in a Mercedes social media post standing in a driving school car, making the "OK" sign, while the post was accompanied by the caption: "Mission accomplished."

In previous years, drivers were required to have a valid license to obtain the Super License, which allows them to compete in Formula 1. They also had to be at least 18 years old.

The rule was introduced in 2016, after Max Verstappen made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix when he was just 17 years and 166 days old. Verstappen was involved in several accidents early on, including a high-speed collision with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean at the Monaco Grand Prix during his first season. However, these incidents did not stop the Red Bull driver, who has won the world championship four years in a row.

The rules were changed last year as part of Mercedes' efforts to give Antonelli the opportunity to take part in Formula 1 testing before he turns 18 on August 25, 2024.

The requirement for drivers to have a license was removed and a new clause was added allowing a special exemption to be granted to 17-year-old drivers who had shown “exceptional skill and maturity in single-seater racing”.

"The FIA ​​president has always had the ability and discretion to allow a driver to race if he believes the performance was sufficiently measured," Mercedes F1 CEO Toto Wolff told Formula1.com in June. "I think the change to the regulations is not about Antonelli, but more generally about making sure that drivers with the right preparation, success and maturity are able to race in F1, regardless of their date of birth. I think it was the right decision."

Antonelli made his debut in free practice at the Italian Grand Prix, temporarily setting the fastest lap before suffering a high-speed accident after 12 minutes. Despite significant damage to his car, he emerged from the accident unscathed.

The rookie driver will begin pre-season testing alongside teammate George Russell in Bahrain on February 26. Mercedes will be hoping the pair can improve the team's performance since 2024, when it finished fourth in the championship, its worst finish in 12 years.

But regardless of how Antonelli performs in his first season, at least now he will be able to drive from the airport to home. (A2 Televizion)