Andrea 'Kimi' Antonelli has re-emerged as the leading contender for his Formula 1 debut after claiming his first victory in Formula 2 at Silverstone.
Only a day before, Toto Wolff, the mentor to the 17-year-old, implied that Carlos Sainz could be a more suitable candidate to take over Lewis Hamilton's role next year.
Concerns were growing that the ongoing rumors about Antonelli's potential advancement to Hamilton's position in 2025 might be affecting his performance in the F2 season.
"He has a lot of pressure," stated Mercedes leader Wolff. "He's being talked a lot about. And it's clear that the pressure ramps up.
You know, it's like Bernie (Ecclestone) said: 'Last week I had an opinion, this week I have a different one'."
However, Antonelli showcased his skill in challenging conditions during the support race of the British Grand Prix, clinching his inaugural win in the Formula 2 series. "It was an important win," Wolff mentioned, "because he's had a lot of bad luck with the car and made small mistakes.
"Those days were important for today's dominant win," he told Sky Italia. "I'm sure he'll make the step up to Formula 1 and have a great career.
I would say this was a turning point for him. He was a second faster than the others and always in control. Kimi made a big step today and I'm sure he'll do great things in F1."
Antonelli expressed feeling "emotional" as he finished the race with a "big weight taken off my shoulders."
"It's a very important moment," he added. "It hasn't been a good season so far and on a mental level this success gives me a lot of energy."
Speculation at Silverstone suggested that Antonelli might replace Logan Sargeant at Mercedes-backed Williams, potentially even before the end of the 2024 season.
However, Williams' leader James Vowles was clear: "Kimi is not a possibility for Williams at the moment because he is a Mercedes driver. So that's a no."
