Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok expects 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli to be “very quick in qualifying” during his rookie campaign with Mercedes but questions whether he can handle the pressure💜 of rac🦂ing for a top team.

Mercedes opted to promote Antonelli in place of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming 2025 F1 season.

Toto Wolff overlooked signing 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz an🎶d other experienced options, handing♌ Antonelli his F1 debut at just 18 years old.

While Antonelli has been given extensive time in an F1 car through Merced𒆙es’ testing programme, he has limited single-seater experience, having been fast-tracked through the junior categories.

Antonelli is the first rookie to be thrown into a top team since168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Lewis Hamilton in 2007.

Giving his thoughts on Antonelli via Skyไ Sports F1’s website, Chandhok said:  “I think Antonelli comes into the season as the rookie with the most eyes on him. He’s in a top seat, he’s taken over a seat vacated by Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes have chosen to not have Carlos Sainz and promote him up after one season of F2, so it’s a big, big task for him.

“He’s very, very talented, there’s no doubt about it, in terms o🌟f pure natural talent. I’ve seen him in junior categories, I've spoken to people who worked with him, and they all rate him very highly.

“Being in an F1 environment with the pressure of being in a top team is something different to being in the lower categories when you can kind of go under the radar. Now he’s going to have people like me in the commentary box analysing every lap h💜e does, and suddenly the pressure to deliver is much higher.”

Chandhok makes Piastri comparison

Oscar Piastri impressed during hi♛s rookie F1 season with the team, particularly with his qualifying 𝔉pace.

Chandho🦋k expects Antonelli to impress over one lap, but he might struggle more in races.

“I think he’s going to be very, ver🌊y quick in qualifying, but as Oscar Piastri has shown us recently, the bigger challenge these days for rookies is perhaps in the races with the long runs,” Chandhok added.

“Mercedes have done a greaജt deal of work to prepare him, he’s going to be the best-prepared rookie coming into F1 for a very long time, so he’s got a great opportunity꧃ to shine.”

Antonelli will get his first chance to drive Merce⭕des' 2025 challenger -🐭 the W16 - when pre-season testing kicks off in Bahrain.

Merce𝓡des are set to unveil their new car on February 24.