Kimi Antonelli reaches key driving milestone - on the roads...

Even though he was confirmed as a Mercedes F1 driver back in September, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is only now legally allowed to drive on the road after passing his driving test.

The 18-year-old confirmed the news via Instagram on Monday.

Antonelli captioned a photograph of him sitting in a road car: “Mission accomplished”.

Antonelli will make his F1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix in March.

The Italian was chosen by Toto Wolff as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement to partner George Russell for 2025.

If Antonelli wins any of the opening three races, he will break Max Verstappen’s record of being the sport’s youngest-ever winner.

Mercedes gear up for F1 2025

Mercedes are preparing for their first season without Hamilton since 2012.

Without Hamilton, Mercedes could go under the radar in 2025, particularly after a disappointing recent three seasons.

Mercedes have struggled to get to grips with the ‘ground effect’ generation of cars.

While they took four wins last year, they were a distant P4 in the constructors’ championship.

Their car was incredibly peaky, often only performing well in cooler conditions or low downforce tracks.

However, with 2026 on the horizon, a slow start to this coming season might mean they quickly switch their attention to next year.

Mercedes have confirmed they will launch the W16 in Bahrain on February 24.