The Seat

This could've been a really highly rated short about the interesting progress to date of a young rising star, but the some of the content felt too constructed, and the WhatsApp calls/messages and pop-ups and bings throughout felt forced and were irritating and distracting and left me feeling more negative about WhatsApp.

It has still raised his profile for me, and helps promote this season of F1 a bit by giving added dimensions to a new name on the starting grid, and he came across as likeable, confident and humble, it's just disappointing that I've had to come away with negative feelings about the film and the product it was hamelessly plugging (WhatsApp, not F1).

As "The Seat" (2025 release; 41 min) opens, the unthinkable is happening in the Formula 1 universe: Lewis Hamilton, the face of Mercedes and 7 time World Champion, is leaving Mercedes (and joined Ferrari), unleashing an unprecedented scramble to see which driver would get his seat. Enters 17 yo Italian Kimi Antonelli, an up-and-coming racer with exactly ZERO F1 experience...

Couple of comments: this documentary, a co-production with WhatsApp (!), gives some quick impressions about what goes on behind the scenes of a top F1 team, but alas, it is done in such quick brushes that you can never really get into the minute details. I believe it took about 5 minutes in the documentary from the moment that Antonelli's name is mentioned to Antonelli being informed that indeed he will be getting the Mercedes seat. This decision pretty much stunned the F1 world, and of course it remains to be seen whether it was a stroke of genius or simply a wild and expensive gamble gone wrong. Netflix has had great success with the Formula 1: Drive to Survive documentary series (now in its 7th season). In contrast, "The Seat" feels rushed and is simply unfulfilling.

"The Seat" is currently streaming on Netflix. Whether you are a fan of F1 racing or simply a fan of the "F1 Drive to Survive" series, I encourage you to check out "The Seat", albeit with lowered expectations, and draw your own conclusion.

A great concise snippet of Kimi's rise to his seat with Mercedes. Toto and Mercedes chose well in replacing Lewis Hamilton. From his first introduction, I took to his humble demeanor immediately. I sense this kid will grow up to become the next legendary Formula 1 driver.

I encourage any F1 fan of any level to watch. I would also like to thank WhatsApp for sponsoring/funding this mini-biography of this young talented and potential F1 legend. I love learning about the lives of the drivers of the most outstanding motorsport on the planet.

To the people giving low ratings because WhatsApp sponsored/funded this great mini-biography: Do you also whine and complain about too much Lenovo advertising at races? Or any other sponsors? If it wasn't for WhatsApp, you wouldn't have even been able to learn about Kimi Antonelli's life and rise to his seat in F1.

Give it a break.

10/10.

Stop listening to these geezers complaining about the WhatsApp bits. Advertising drives publication. Grow up. Great bts on Kimi and the F1 process. Heartfelt moments with his family as well. Only knock is I wish it was longer.

(Spam for character minimum) Stop listening to these geezers complaining about the WhatsApp bits. Advertising drives publication. Grow up. Great bts on Kimi and the F1 process. Heartfelt moments with his family as well. Only knock is I wish it was longer. Stop listening to these geezers complaining about the WhatsApp bits. Advertising drives publication. Grow up. Great bts on Kimi and the F1 process. Heartfelt moments with his family as well. Only knock is I wish it was longer.

Kimi Antonelli has a great life-story so far. But this video is a bit too constructed. With obviously scripted dialogue that is presented as "in the moment" and of course tons of whatsapp calls and whatsapp text messages and whatsapp voice messages.

Kimi Antonelli has a great life-story so far. But this video is a bit too constructed. With obviously scripted dialogue that is presented as "in the moment" and of course tons of whatsapp calls and whatsapp text messages and whatsapp voice messages.

Kimi Antonelli has a great life-story so far. But this video is a bit too constructed. With obviously scripted dialogue that is presented as "in the moment" and of course tons of whatsapp calls and whatsapp text messages and whatsapp voice messages.