– For the foreseeable future, Kimi Antonelli will probably start in Formula 1 for Mercedes first. But expert Ralf Schumacher can well imagine that the current championship leader will later in his career at some point switch to Ferrari.
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In the podcast Backstage Boxengasse by Sky he explains: “If Kimi continues his career as he is doing now, and everything works out as it looks at the moment, nothing comes in between, then Kimi will eventually also sit in a Ferrari.”
As an Italian, Antonelli would be the dream of many Tifosi in the Ferrari. “But of course, that also assumes that the team continues as it is now,” adds Schumacher. Because such a switch would also have to make sporting sense for Antonelli.
Therefore, according to Schumacher, it is up to Ferrari to provide Antonelli in the future with a car with which he can win races and titles. But such a scenario is probably still many years away, because at the moment there is no reason for the championship leader to leave Mercedes.
In addition, both Ferrari cockpits are currently occupied. Charles Leclerc recently extended his contract with the Scuderia until 2028, and Lewis Hamilton has also already made it clear that he wants to continue driving for the Italians for longer.
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“The next in line, one must not forget, will probably first be [Oliver] Bearman,” Schumacher also adds. The Haas driver and Ferrari junior is considered a potential Hamilton successor if he should end his career in the coming years.
Nevertheless, Schumacher suspects that Antonelli will not switch to Ferrari only at 40, as was the case with Hamilton. “No, I don’t think so. He started way too young for that,” says the six-time Grand Prix winner.
Mercedes brought Antonelli into Formula 1 in 2025 at the age of just 18. Before his home race in Monza this year, the now 20-year-old leads the world championship with a 59-point lead over Hamilton and his teammate George Russell.
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