One week before the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and waiting for the race at the Barcelona circuit next Sunday, Formula 1 surprised its fans with a regulatory change in the middle of the season. The FIA updated its Sports Code with the intention that a 17-year-old pilot can join the category.
This was confirmed by the International Automobile Federation through a statement in which it gave details of the rule modification. In it Appendix L A clause was added stating that, although the minimum age to obtain the super license necessary to race in the top category of motorsport is 18, a special exception can be granted to special drivers so that they receive one at 17.
In this sense, the scenario affected the needs to receive the super license and participate in free training. This way, one of the promises of motorsports in the world and who is indicated as a possible replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 He could put on his helmet and go out on the track this year.
The Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelliwhich in the paddock of Formula 1 it is believed that he could be George Russell’s future partner next season, He would have everything ready to make his debut in free training before turning 18, on August 25, 2024.. In addition to this, at the beginning of the campaign, the young man’s surname circulated as one of those who could replace Logan Sargeant at Williams on layoff during the summer in Europe. That’s why the request to reduce the minimum age, but soon after, it was the director of the historic F1 team James Vowles who denied those suggestions.
What does article 13.1.2 of Appendix L of the Sports Code say? “At the sole discretion of the FIA, a driver who is deemed to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seat formula car competition may be granted a super license at the age of 17.”
Antonelli has been followed by Mercedes since his time in karting and his progression in other formula categories with victories in the Italian F4 (2022) and in the European Formula Regional Championship (2023) aboard a Prema team car.
In an interview he gave after the confirmation of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Toto Wolff He referred to the possible arrival of the Italian to his team and compared it to the situation that the team experienced with Verstappen in its beginnings. “With that we lost the young man, and now you see the success he has had,” said Toto Wolff at the beginning of the year when asked about the mistake of letting Max go to Red Bull for not having offered him a place in the F1 structure. .
“Now we have a junior who is performing at a very high level, I wanted to keep this option open. The driver market is incredibly interesting right now, because there will be very good drivers available in 2025.”
“We have no time pressure. We have another promising boy (by Antonelli). I don’t want to put extra pressure on him, but he can become one of the greatsalthough we also do not want to throw him into the abyss too soon by putting him in Formula 1 at 17 years old,” added the Mercedes team director.
This measure changed the rule that had been established in F1 almost a decade ago, in 2015, when Max Verstappen landed in the category after joining the Red Bull structure.. It must be remembered that the Dutch driver, who is now 26 years old, debuted aboard a Toro-Rosso car (RB’s second team), and was chosen rookie of the year in his first season.
In 2016, Verstappen took the place of the Russian Daniil Kvyat in the Austrian team and shone in his first competition: on the fifth round of the year at the Spanish Grand Prix, he came to the checkered flag in first place and became the youngest driver in history to win a race in Formula 1 at 18 years and 228 days.
