Mercedes has made a bold move in its driver lineup, officially announcing that 18-year-old Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 Formula 1 season. This decision comes despite Antonelli’s crash during his Formula 1 practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix, where he hit the barriers after just a few laps.Team principal Toto Wolff expressed unwavering confidence in Antonelli’s abilities, stating, ‘Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport’. Wolff emphasized that the practice crash would have ‘zero effect’ on Antonelli’s future with the team, adding, ‘We’re prepared to invest in his future. These moments will happen, and they will continue to happen next year, but there will also be a lot of highlights’.Antonelli, who has been part of Mercedes’ junior program since the age of 12, has an impressive track record in junior categories. He won the German Formula 4 championship in 2022 and is currently competing in Formula 2, where he has already secured two wins this season. ‘It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025,’ Antonelli said. ‘Reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy’.The young Italian will partner with George Russell, forming a lineup that Mercedes believes combines ‘experience, talent, youth, and pure speed’. Wolff praised Russell, saying, ‘George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world’.This announcement leaves only one seat open for the 2025 season, currently available at Sauber F1. Several drivers, including Sergio Perez, Guanyu Zhou, Kevin Magnussen, and Mick Schumacher, are reportedly in contention for this position.As Mercedes prepares for this new chapter, the motorsport world eagerly anticipates how Antonelli will fare in his transition to the pinnacle of racing, stepping into the shoes of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Key points
- Mercedes has officially announced 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement for the 2025 F1 season.
- Antonelli crashed during his F1 practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix, but Toto Wolff remains confident in his abilities.
- Antonelli has been part of Mercedes’ junior program since age 12 and has an impressive record in junior categories.
- The new Mercedes lineup of Antonelli and George Russell is described as combining experience, talent, youth, and speed.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in Antonelli’s age, with most sources stating he is 18 years old, while one source reports him as 19 years old.
