During the Italian Grand Prix, where Andrea Kimi Antonelli, made his Formula 1 debut in the first free practice session for Mercedes, the German team in Monza also announced signing a contract with the 18-year-old talent for the 2025 season.

Eddie Jordan, owner of a former F1 team Jordan Grand Prix, which was competing in F1 between the years 1991 and 2005, now raised concerns about Antonelli’s readiness for driving at a top team. In the Formula for Success podcast he explained, that it would be better for Antonelli to race in his debut season for some mid-field team first, before stepping up with Mercedes.

“We have always said that I thought the pressure of Mercedes would be too much for Kimi and his debut, and his first run,” Jordan said.

“It turned out the way it was. He spun out, it caused a lot of damage to the car. I still believe there’s a place for Kimi but not in Mercedes - that’s the point I will make. I don’t care how quick he is.

“He should be placed somewhere which will give Toto and the team to learn for the year and come up that way. That’s my view on it,” he added.

Co-host David Coulthard highlighted, that it was like that with the reigning champion Max Verstappen, who firstly started at Torro Rosso (Red Bull’s sister team now called RB) in 2015 before stepping up to Red Bull a year later.

“That’s exactly what should’ve happen,” expressed Jordan and suggested that Mercedes should have taken a similar approach with Antonelli.

“Max was in Toro Rosso. Kimi Antonelli, he should be in Williams where Toto can place him. It’s what we’ve been saying for ages.

“Remember what Bernie Ecclestone always used to say when you go looking for money or anything you like. He says ‘earn the right’ that’s  all he’d say. ‘Earn the right to ask’. 

“At the moment, I don’t see how Antonelli has earned the right, not yet. Doesn’t give me that factor of total belief. I am sorry guys,” he ended the discussion with.

Toto Wolff recently said that he knew that he wants to sign Kimi Antonelli, the moment Lewis Hamilton told him that he is going to Ferrari in 2025. He believes that Mercedes needs a young talent like Antonelli and that he will only grow alongside George Russell.