In recent months, there has been a lot of focus on Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli (17) and Ferrari talent Oliver Bearman (19). Bearman has already secured a contract with Haas, while Antonelli is still being linked with a promotion at Mercedes. Former world champion Jenson Button cautions top teams to manage such young drivers carefully.
Button was only twenty years old when he made his debut with Williams in 2000. The British driver recalls how extremely young he was at that time. “I remember Martin Brundle saying that I was ‘not old enough’,” Button said during the race weekend in Silverstone. “He was right to some extent – I was very young and had barely been able to test.”
However, history has shown that Frank Williams made a wise decision to put him in his car. “I was in sixth place in my first Grand Prix,” Button continued proudly. “Unfortunately, my engine gave up not long after.” Nowadays, there are more and more young drivers, and the average age of debutants is continually decreasing. According to Button, this is not a problem, provided these young drivers are well managed.
“I don’t think it’s too early for them,” the former world champion said about young drivers like Bearman and Antonelli. “If you get the chance, you have to seize it with both hands. Especially if you’re still a teenager. You really can’t say no!” Button warns Mercedes and Ferrari that they must protect such young talents. “It’s up to the teams to realize what they’re doing to these boys,” he said sternly. “If someone blossoms completely, that’s fantastic, but you can also succumb to the pressure, and that can really ruin your career. People need to handle this carefully.”
