Andrea Kimi Antonelli has proven to other budding Formula 1 hopefuls that there isn’t any specific way to climb the motorsport ladder.
The young Italian took the decision to skip Formula 3 and progress straight to Formula 2, which has paid off handsomely for him.
He sits sixth in the standings with two victories at the tender age of just 18, proving that he already has the pace to achieve great things.
Demands will be higher than ever when he steps up to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year, but all the hallmarks of a great driver are there.
Formula 3 are ‘afraid’ that Antonelli may have set a precedent
The precedent that Antonelli may have set is that the notoriously tricky Formula 3, which can dent some drivers’ young careers, isn’t entirely necessary.
He appears to have developed just fine without taking part in the series, instead opting to race in the Formula Regional European Championship.
Speaking on The Race’s F1 podcast, Dutch commentator Nelson Valkenburg believes that they might have reason to worry about Antonelli’s rise.
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“It’s interesting to see what Kimi Antonelli did and he might even be right. I think they’re afraid of it in F3, that the precedent that Antonelli set to do FRECA and then move into F2 is paying off.
“Because he knew he was on the right trajectory. It comes down to the relevancy again and I think people are afraid of it.”
Could drivers begin to skip Formula 3?
Antonelli is more likely to be the exception to the rule because of the hype and backing surrounding his junior career.
Now every young driver is going to have the credentials to be able to turn up in Formula 2 and find a drive after skipping the division below it.
That being said, it could encourage more drivers to attempt to follow in the Italian’s footsteps, but whether or not they are successful is another question.
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A lot will be discovered as Antonelli embarks on his first full-time season in Formula 1 with Mercedes, including whether he can keep up with teammate George Russell.
There are endless possibilities, unless he ends up as a complete failure, it’s hard to see how his junior career route will ever be looked upon negatively.