--- title: "F1 Rookie Kimi Antonelli Can’t Drive His New Mercedes-AMG GT Because He’s 18" date: "2025-04-11" modified: "2025-04-11" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1-rookie-kimi-antonelli-cant-drive-his-new-mercedes-amg-gt-because-hes-18" categories: - "Mercedes-Benz News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "AMG GT" - "Coupe" - "luxury" - "Mercedes-AMG" - "sports car" --- # F1 Rookie Kimi Antonelli Can’t Drive His New Mercedes-AMG GT Because He’s 18 ![Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli stands in front of his blue AMG GT 63 supercar.]() *\Mercedes-Benz\* Rookie [Formula 1]() driver Kimi Antonelli is just 18 years old, and he's already been given the monumental task of replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes-AMG. One of the perks of the job is a company car. But unlike the typical executive sedan, Antonelli's ride is reportedly a [Mercedes-AMG GT 63](). Pretty sweet, right? Unfortunately, the teenager's excitement might be tempered, as he isn't even allowed to drive it back home in Italy because of a new law that only took effect in December. Italy now limits all young drivers to cars with 75 kW (about 100 horsepower) per ton or less [within the first three years of getting their license](). It's unclear precisely which model Antonelli has been given; *[Gazzetta Motori]()* claims it's a GT 63 S with 576 hp, though that version isn't currently on sale. In any case, the output is well above the limit. On the surface, the law seems sensible, as the vast majority of new drivers lack the experience to handle big power. But, of course, Antonelli is not part of that majority, and races a vehicle with more than 1,000 hp per ton for his day job. ![]() *actualfoto* ![]() *actualfoto* ![]() *Piccinini Roberto* ![]() *Piccinini Roberto* I don't know the details of Antonelli's living arrangements, but he's in a new country every couple of weeks over the course of a season. [He's still in public school](), but given his unique situation, he "attends" it online. Like most F1 teams, [Mercedes]() is headquartered in the U.K., so the team could always keep the GT on hand for him to drive in the country. But when Antonelli returns home to see family or for the holidays, he legally couldn't drive the sports car even if he wanted to. Maybe he doesn't mind that, though. [The rookie]() quenches his thirst for speed more than almost anyone, on a regular basis. This might just be a laugh from his point of view. Still, it seems ridiculous on the surface, and perhaps Antonelli can get a special exemption on the grounds of already being one of the most capable drivers to ever hold an Italian license, despite his young age. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()