Kimi Antonelli will not be obtaining his Nurburgring permit anytime soon. The Mercedes Formula 1 driver had publicly expressed his desire to obtain the DMSB Nordschleife Permit, known as the DPN, by the end of the year, but the team has firmly shut down that idea, at least for now.
The clarification came during the Nurburgring 24 Hours weekend, when Mercedes' Deputy Team Principal and Chief Communications Officer, Bradley Lord, addressed the topic directly in an interview with German broadcaster Nitro.
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Lord's response was about as blunt as it gets. Asked whether the Silver Arrows would allow Antonelli to obtain the Nordschleife permit this year, he said: "No." He then offered some context, suggesting the Italian driver may not have been entirely serious about the ambition. "I've spoken to him about it. I think he meant it more as a joke," Lord explained.
He then suggested with a smile that Antonelli could "give it a try after four world championships," a clear nod to Max Verstappen, noting that the Red Bull driver "perhaps has a bit more range thanks to his experience" compared to the 19-year-old.
Kimi Antonelli's Desire for Endurance Race Alongside Max Verstappen
The desire to race at the Nordschleife is not new for Antonelli. Speaking earlier this season, the Mercedes driver had openly expressed his ambition to one day compete in an endurance race, even naming Verstappen as his ideal teammate. "I would love to do an endurance race with Max, together. I think that would be pretty awesome," Antonelli said. "It’s something that in the future I would really like to do."
His passion for GT racing runs in the family. Antonelli's father, Marco, has raced in the GT category himself and serves as the owner and team principal of AKM Motorsport. "On my side, it came from my dad with the GT team, and occasionally I go and test when I can," Antonelli explained. He had even requested a test at the Nordschleife, calling it "a track that I love."
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Mercedes, however, has made clear that none of that will be happening any time soon, with Lord pointing to Verstappen as the benchmark. The Red Bull driver has already contested several races on the Nordschleife and made his debut in the Nurburgring 24 Hours this year alongside Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer. The Verstappen.com Racing Mercedes entry even led for the majority of the race before a driveshaft issue ended their challenge in the closing hours.
Antonelli, by contrast, is still in only his second season of Formula 1. Lord made clear that the teenager's priority right now is singular. "Full focus" on Formula 1, as the deputy team principal put it.
Where Antonelli Stands in the 2026 F1 Championship
It is hard to argue with Mercedes' caution, given how Antonelli's season has gone. The Italian currently leads the Drivers' Championship after securing podium finishes in all four races held so far in 2026, sitting 20 points clear of teammate George Russell. Mercedes also tops the Constructors' standings with 180 points, making this an extraordinarily promising start to the 2026 campaign.
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With the Canadian Grand Prix next on the calendar, Mercedes will be keen to keep their young star focused on extending that lead rather than chasing adventures on the Green Hell.