Antonelli eyes endurance race partnership with Verstappen

Fresh off his maiden Formula 1 victory in China, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli is already dreaming of a future challenge beyond the Grand Prix calendar: teaming up with Max Verstappen for a major endurance race. The 19-year-old Italian, whose father runs a GT team, expressed a strong desire to share a GT3 car with the reigning world champion, inspired by Verstappen's own upcoming debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Why it matters:

This highlights a growing trend among the new generation of F1 stars who view their careers more broadly than just single-seater racing. Drivers like Verstappen and Antonelli are openly passionate about other motorsport disciplines, signaling a shift where top talents seek diverse challenges to fuel their competitive drive, potentially enriching events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the Nürburgring with F1's biggest names.

The details:

• Antonelli's interest in GT racing is deeply personal, stemming from his father Marco's involvement as a veteran driver and team owner of AKM Motorsport. He occasionally tests GT cars for the family team.
• He specifically mentioned wanting to race alongside Verstappen, citing their shared passion for GT machinery. "I think we would be a really cool pair," Antonelli stated, believing their similar driving styles would make them a formidable duo.
• The timing aligns with Verstappen's confirmed participation in the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours this May, driving a Red Bull-liveried Mercedes-AMG GT3 between the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.
• Antonelli is so keen that he has already requested a test on the legendary Nordschleife circuit, a track he admires but has never driven in real life.
• For now, his immediate focus remains on F1, where he is locked in a close fight with Mercedes teammate George Russell, trailing by just four points after his China win.

What's next:

While an Antonelli-Verstappen team-up remains a future dream, it underscores the evolving landscape of a driver's career. Antonelli must first continue his impressive rookie F1 campaign with Mercedes. Verstappen's performance and experience at the Nürburgring this May will likely fuel further interest from other F1 drivers in cross-discipline events, making such a superstar pairing in endurance racing increasingly plausible in the coming years.