Antonelli tries his hand at the wheel of the new Mercedes… CLA

In 2025, two of Mercedes’ most anticipated new products will appear on the big automotive scene. On the circuits, Andrea Kimi Antonelli will have the difficult task of succeeding Sir Lewis Hamilton alongside George Russell. On the roads, the all-new CLA will make its world premiere. Before that, the new star and the new car got to know each other in a nice little film aptly named “Charging up for 2025”, “Se recharge pour 2025” in French!

Before hitting the track for F1 pre-season testing, Antonelli embarked on a journey to a snow-capped mountain peak in the European Alps. Driving in freezing weather in the valley is something special. His car, a camouflaged version of the future CLA in a very garish red livery, shows its capabilities in terms of energy recovery.

By the end of the ride, the CLA easily generated enough electricity to plug in and power a Christmas tree’s decorations. The new CLA aims to be a benchmark in terms of efficiency. For this, braking largely uses regeneration rather than the classic mechanical system, which makes it possible to optimize battery recharging during deceleration phases. More energy recovered means greater autonomy. Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli will race alongside George Russell in 2025, both drivers being pure products of the Star brand’s Junior program.

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