The 18-year-old has been candid about struggling with the difficult Pirelli tyres, which can be tough to get on top of due to their short working window. <\/p>\n
Mercedes<\/a> is also still dealing with overheating problems with its 2025 challenger, although Wolff has urged engineers<\/a> to stop using it as an excuse and come up with a solution.<\/p>\n Aside from Mercedes\u2019 problems holding back Antonelli, there is one stat that has emerged in the first half of the season that puts him on par with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in their rookie years. <\/p>\n Antonelli has scored less than half of the points scored by teammate George Russell in 2025 so far, but his average is not far off what other drivers have achieved in their rookie season. <\/p>\n Lando Norris<\/a> scored the same in his rookie season up against Carlos Sainz<\/a> at McLaren, with 22 points versus Sainz\u2019s 48 at the halfway point. <\/p>\n SeasonDriverDriverPoints scoredPoints percentage2019Lando NorrisCarlos Sainz22 vs 4846%2023Oscar PiastriLando Norris27 vs 6045%2025Andrea Kimi AntonelliGeorge Russell63 vs 14743%<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri<\/a> also only scored 27 points compared to 60 points for Lando Norris in 2023, which is 45% of his points total. <\/p>\n The Mercedes driver currently has 63 points compared to Russell\u2019s 147, which puts him on at least 43% of the Briton\u2019s total. <\/p>\n Will Andrea Kimi Antonelli have Max Verstappen as his teammate in the future?<\/p>\n Much has been said about Verstappen and a potential move to Mercedes<\/a> for the Dutchman, but there could be one impact if he does decide to leave Red Bull.<\/p>\n Antonelli is unlikely to be the driver who gets replaced by Mercedes if they do decide to go with Verstappen, with Russell likely to be dropped. <\/p>\n![\"F1](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2223792567-1-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli\/Getty ImagesKimi Antonelli close to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri rookie stat<\/p>\n