LICENSE TO THRILL: Mercedes rookie Antonelli cruises past driving test

Rome, Italy (AFP) — Formula One rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has reached a new milestone as the teen prodigy, who is set to race for Mercedes this season, revealed he has passed his driving test.

The 18-year-old announced his latest achievement on Instagram, publishing a photo of himself doing a thumbs up gesture in a driving instructor’s car, with the message “mission complete.”

Antonelli did not need the license in order to drive for Mercedes, where he replaces seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, as he already had the so-called “Super License” needed to drive in F1.

Mercedes announced Antonelli as their new driver over the weekend of last year’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where he had a bumpy debut in an F1 car.

Given a chance by Mercedes in that weekend’s first practice run, Antonelli smashed George Russell’s car into the trackside barriers with just four completed laps under his belt.

Antonelli will partner Briton Russell who finished sixth in last year’s championship, won for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the fourth consecutive season.

He will carry the hopes of Italian F1 fans that one of their own could bring glory back to a motorsport-mad nation which has not had a GP winner since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2006.

The last Italian to win the drivers’ championship was Alberto Ascari in 1953, although 1978 champion Mario Andretti was born in Italy even if he represented the United States.