Mercedes System 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has expressed a want to workforce up with Max Verstappen for an endurance race, revealing he has already requested for a Nordschleife take a look at.
Antonelli’s household has sturdy ties to sportscar racing, together with his father Marco an completed driver in his personal proper with many years of expertise in GT and TCR equipment.
The 19-year-old has himself proven inclination in direction of this type of motorsport and contested an Italian GT spherical together with his family-run AKM Motorsport workforce in 2023, scoring a pole place and a victory at Misano on his debut.
There was renewed curiosity amongst F1 drivers to discover sportscar racing following the information that Pink Bull star Verstappen will sort out the Nurburgring 24 Hours for the primary time this yr, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 run by Winward Racing.
Whereas Antonelli’s major focus lies in F1, the place he grew to become a first-time race winner on the Chinese language Grand Prix, the 19-year-old stated he would welcome a chance to share a cockpit together with his F1 rival Verstappen.
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“I might like to do an endurance race with Max collectively,” Antonelli stated in Shanghai. “I feel that will be fairly superior. It is cool as a result of we each have ardour for GTs. Clearly, on my aspect, it got here from my dad with the GT workforce.
“Often, I’m going and take a look at after I can, and clearly, Max as properly has been actually having fun with it. It is actually cool for him to do the 24 hours of Nurburgring. I feel it will be a extremely cool occasion, and undoubtedly I will be watching it.
“It is one thing that sooner or later I would love to do, to race with him in an endurance race.
“I feel it might be a extremely cool pair and it will likely be a extremely cool expertise, nevertheless it’s one thing that I have been contemplating as properly.
“I’ve already requested for a take a look at on the Nordschleife, for instance, as a result of it is a observe that I really like, and I might love to have the ability to strive it in the actual world as properly.”
#3 Mercedes-AMG Group Verstappen Racing, Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO: Max Verstappen, Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon
Photograph by: Max Verstappen
Though Verstappen drives for Mercedes’ rival Pink Bull in F1, the four-time world champion has joined forces with the German producer for his sportscar racing exploits this yr.
Whereas he made his Nordschleife debut on the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3 final yr, he’ll change to the venerable Mercedes-AMG GT3 for his two deliberate outings on the legendary German venue this yr, together with the Nurburgring 24 Hours debut on 14-17 Could.
This partnership may thus allow a future tie-up with Antonelli, who rose by the ranks as a Mercedes F1 junior and is now a part of its grand prix workforce.
Verstappen was filled with reward for Antonelli following the latter’s maiden win in F1, saying the teenager has a brilliant future within the sequence.
“It’s implausible, however I am after all not shocked,” he stated. “This was undoubtedly coming, and it will not be his final one.”
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