HINCHCLIFFE: Mercedes took a huge gamble on 18-year-old rookie Antonelli – but he already looks like the real deal

It was one of the most stunning driver announcements in recent memory. A childhood dream come true, a risky move for team and driver as well as one that brought an immense amount of media attention and, as a result, pressure.

As he lined up on the grid in Melbourne, in a car he barely knew, in the most challenging conditions a Grand Prix driver can face, the world watched to see if he’d be able to deliver.

And boy did Kimi Antonelli deliver.