F1 rookie Kimi Antonelli has received the keys to a new car but he won’t be able to drive it for at least three years.
Antonelli has purchased a new AMG GT 63 S. Few can begrudge him for treating himself after making a stellar start to his F1 career, picking up 30 points from the first three Grand Prix races of 2025. Charged with the daunting task of replacing Lewis Hamilton, the Italian is already being tipped as a future world title challenger.
Remarkably, he signed a new deal with Toto Wolff before he passed his driving test in January this year. The Bologna-born driver only turned 18 last August, having joined the Mercedes junior team back in 2019.
While age appears to be no barrier in his sport, it impacts his life away from it. New road regulations were introduced in Italy on December 14, 2024, prohibiting new drivers from handling vehicles with more than 75kW per ton during the first three years of holding their license.
Antonelli’s new motor reportedly boasts 430kW per ton. Previously, drivers only had to wait one year for this restriction to be lifted but the young star faces having to leave the car in the garage until January 2028.
He is still able to sit behind the wheel and get a feel of the car, but he is unable to take it on any public road. Defying that sanction would leave Antonelli liable to be prosecuted and fined.
His immediate focus is unlikely to be on his vehicle back home, though. Antonelli was again impressive in FP2 on Friday, going fifth quickest and outpacing the likes of Max Verstappen and Hamilton.
He currently holds that exact position in the driver standings, 15 points off teammate George Russell in fourth. Last weekend, in Japan, he led the race for 10 laps, making him the youngest-ever driver to lead an F1 Grand Prix.