Few drivers make it to Formula 1, but their odds of doing so skyrocket by being affiliated with an F1 team’s junior driver programme. This series explores the performances of driver academy members in 2024. Today’s spotlight: the Mercedes Junior Team.

By Kaylene Lau

It’s been a year full of success for the Mercedes Junior Team. All seven of the programme’s drivers from F2 to karting claimed multiple trophies this year. Each of their three karting drivers took a championship title, while their F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to step up to Formula 1 with the team next season. 

Check out the e-book below to read all eight of the 2024 F1 driver academy reviews!

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (F2, P6)

Expectations were sky-high this year for 2023 FRegional Europe and Middle East champion Antonelli, who had skipped F3 and jumped straight into F2 with Prema Racing. Before the F2 season had even begun, the Italian was in contention to fill the Mercedes seat that Lewis Hamilton would be vacating at the end of the year. 

Though the start of his season was rocky, Antonelli found his footing in Silverstone, securing his first F2 podium and win in a rain-affected sprint race. He then went on to win the feature race in Budapest with a 12-second margin and finished third in an incident-filled Baku feature race. 

Antonelli withdrew from the final round in Abu Dhabi because of an illness, meaning that his final F2 races came in Qatar. That was a difficult round for the Italian driver, who retired from both races after being caught up in incidents.

He ended his rookie season sixth in the championship with 113 points and two wins. 

On Saturday of the Italian Grand Prix weekend in Monza and the day after Antonelli participated in his first F1 free practice session, Mercedes confirmed that he would step up to F1 with them in 2025.

Doriane Pin (FRegional Europe, P27; F1 Academy, P2; F4 UAE, P10)

Though 2024 was Pin’s first full year in single-seater racing, she entered the F1 Academy championship with her name already in the mix as a title contender because of her success in endurance racing. This year was her first as a Mercedes junior driver.

Pin raced in F4 UAE with Prema at the beginning of the year in preparation for F1 Academy, taking one pole and one victory in the fourth round. She missed the final round of the season but still finished 10th. 

Pin’s start in F1 Academy was nothing short of impressive. The Frenchwoman, once again racing with Prema, dominated the first race and won the second race on track, but a post-race penalty handed to her after she took the chequered flag twice dropped her down to ninth. Consistent throughout her entire F1 Academy season, she finished on the podium eight times, with three of those times being wins, and ended up second in the drivers’ standings with 217 points. 

Pin also raced with the Iron Dames for her inaugural FR Europe campaign, with a best finish of 13th at Paul Ricard. She missed two rounds of the season in June after sustaining a rib injury during the second round at Spa.

Next year, Pin will return to F1 Academy for a second season with Mercedes and Prema. She will also compete in FR Europe and the last three rounds of FR Middle East.

Alex Powell (Italian F4, P5; F4 UAE, P6; Euro 4, P9)

Part of the Mercedes Junior Team since 2019, Powell completed his first full year in single-seaters in 2024 after entering a handful of races in the latter stages of 2023. The Jamaican-American driver stood on the podium at least once in every championship he contested this year. 

Powell started this year racing in F4 UAE with Mumbai Falcons, reaching the podium for the first time in the first race of the second round in Yas Marina. His first win of the year came in the second race of the third round in Dubai. Powell earned two more third-place finishes in the final two rounds of the season, which was his first full F4 campaign. 

Racing with Prema, he started his Italian F4 season strongly by finishing second in all three races in the first round at Misano. Though he only took three more podiums in the remaining 18 races, he scored in 13 of them. His total of six podium finishes and 176 points helped him to fifth in the championship, while he won the rookie title with 10 class victories. 

Powell once again raced with Prema in the Euro 4 championship, taking one win in the first race of the last round in Monza. He finished ninth in the drivers’ standings and fourth in the rookie championship.

Powell’s plans for 2025 are unknown so far, but he has been testing with R-ace GP, presumed to be in preparation for an Italian F4 campaign.

Yuanpu Cui (British F4, P9; F4 UAE, P24; Chinese F4, P11)

Much like his fellow Mercedes Junior Team member Powell, Cui contested his first full year in single-seaters in 2024. In addition to his British F4 campaign, Cui also raced in four rounds of F4 UAE and one round of Chinese F4. 

Cui’s British F4 campaign with Argenti started off well, with a fourth-place finish in the first race at Donington Park. He went on to claim his first F4 victory in the reverse-grid race at Snetterton. Consistent points finishes, including another podium at Knockhill, helped him finish ninth in his first British F4 season with 102.5 points. The 16-year-old also challenged for the rookie title, which he only lost by 11 points to Martin Molnár. 

In F4 UAE, the first series he entered this year, Cui raced with Xcel Motorsport. He only scored points in the third race of round four in Yas Marina, finishing ninth and picking up two points. That tally put him 24th in the championship.

Cui also entered the fourth round of Chinese F4’s 2024 season with Black Blade Racing and claimed two victories. Though he only raced in one round of the championship, his results were enough for him to finish 11th in the championship, ahead of some drivers who raced in the series full time. 

Next year, Cui will be stepping up to GB3 with Argenti.

Luna Fluxá (karting, various)

Fluxá joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2022. The Spaniard thoroughly impressed this year on her move up from the OK-Junior class to the OK class. She also joined the Iron Dames this year. 

Fluxá claimed the inaugural Champions of the Future Academy Program title in the OK-N Senior class with a total of 665 points, having dominated the championship from round one. On the road to claiming the title, she took six final wins from 12 and nine podiums. 

The 14-year-old also finished 48th in the FIA Karting World Championship and 30th in the FIA Karting European Championship, both in the OK class. 

Fluxá’s plans for 2025 are yet to be announced. 

Kenzo Craigie (karting, various) 

It’s been a year to remember for Craigie, who joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2023. The 14-year-old British karter remained in the OK-Junior class this year and ended 2024 as the junior karting world champion. Craigie claimed that title in September in thrilling – albeit controversial – fashion in a rain-affected race after an intense last-lap battle with Prema teammate Noah Baglin that ended in a collision.

Craigie added to his success this year by winning the IAME Warrior Final in the X30 Junior class. Craigie also ended up third overall in the Champions of the Future Euro Series, finishing third at Val D’Argenton and second at PF International, the venue of the FIA Karting World Championship the following week. 

Craigie’s plans for next year are yet to be announced.

James Anagnostiadis (karting, various) 

The newest addition to the Mercedes Junior Team, Anagnostiadis competed in the OK-Junior class this year. The 14-year-old Australian raced in the FIA European Karting Championship, finishing 28th, and the FIA Karting World Championship, finishing second to Craigie.

His most notable campaign, however, came in the Champions of the Future Academy Program, in which he took the title in the OK-Junior class with 674 points and a 174-point lead over second place. 

Anagnostiadis’ plans for 2025 are yet to be announced. 

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency