MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi is making a strong case for Mercedes' Formula 1 team to enlist his fellow countryman Andrea 'Kimi' Antonelli.

A young talent closely guided by team principal Toto Wolff, 17-year-old Antonelli is presently the prime candidate to succeed Lewis Hamilton next season, though Wolff remains open to possibly including Max Verstappen.

"My job is to help ensure that this team is fast and that it works," Wolff stated to Kronen Zeitung newspaper.

"Of course, that also includes which driver is in the car."

Now retired from MotoGP, Rossi, who still owns the VR46 team and competes in the world endurance championship, has urged Wolff to finalize Antonelli's contract.

"Our country is strong in many sports," he expressed to La Gazzetta dello Sport, "but today we are missing F1.

"It's been years since we had a winning Italian driver and I think Kimi will be able to fill this gap," the 45-year-old Rossi added.

"I have been following Kimi since he was little," he shared. "During covid we started playing together on racing simulators and now he comes to train with me and the other drivers of the (Rossi) academy in karts."