LEWIS HAMILTON’s Mercedes replacement has been announced.
Kimi Antonelli, who only drove a Formula One car competitively for the first time this weekend, will take the seven-time world champion’s seat in 2025.
Hamilton announced the bombshell news he was leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025 at the start of the season.
It led to rampant speculation about who might replace the 39-year-old F1 great, which included ambitious plans to poach world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull.
However, Mercedes junior and F2 driver Antonelli had been among the names in the discussion from the very start.
And the 18-year-old has now been named as the driver to partner George Russell from next season.
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A Mercedes statement said: “Introducing to the stage… Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
“Today, the team is announcing its 2025 driver line-up, with 18-year-old Italian Kimi joining multiple Grand Prix-winner George behind the wheel for next season.
“Kimi will make the step up from F2 and graduate from the team’s junior programme, just like a certain George Russell, who made the jump up to F1 in 2019 after a superb two-year junior spell with us.”
Antonelli suffered a heavy crash when taking the seat of George Russell’s car around the Monza circuit on Friday in FP1 ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.
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The Italian driver had looked extremely quick on his lap, but was caught out at the famous Curva Parabolica corner, where the safety car had also crashed a day earlier.
He has won one feature race and one sprint race in F2 this season and stands 7th overall in the driver’s championship standings.
On the news, Antonelli said: “It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025.
“Reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy; I want to thank the team for the support they’ve given me in my career so far and the faith they’ve shown in me.
“I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team.”
He will be the first Italian to drive for the F1 team since Piero Taruffi in 1955.
F1 2025 grid
Here are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:
Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
Williams: Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz
Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg and TBC
Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan
RB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBC
Haas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon
Toto Wolff said of the decision: “Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed.
“We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership.
“Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent.
“George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team.
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“Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport.
“We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process.
“In George, he has an experienced team-mate from which he can learn and hone his craft. I am confident that both will contribute greatly as we continue to build momentum and fight at the front of the field.”
The move now means there are just two open grid slots for 2025, with Australian Jack Doohan recently being announced for Alpine.
Who is Kimi Antonelli?
Antonelli was born in Bologna on 25 August 2006.
His father, Marco, is a former racing driver and is the owner and team principal of AKM Motorsport – a team which has had motorsport success in many categories.
Antonelli’s full name is Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with his middle name being given to him by a family friend of his father, who wanted him to have a “foreign” name after Andrea.
Marco originally wanted his son to become a footballer but moved him into karting when he showed more passion for motorsport.
He has won single-seater championships in Italian F4, the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and 2023 Formula Regional European Championship for Prema and the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons.
Mercedes boss Wolff has supported Antonelli since his days in karting.
Before announcing him as a Mercedes driver, Wolff admitted he was guilty of “talking too much” about the prodigy – who was granted permission to skip F3 and jump straight into F2.
Hamilton said he was “really excited” to see him progress.
He said: “I said a long time ago that I think that’s who the team should choose moving forwards.
“Time will tell what they end up deciding to do. He’s one of those young, super-talented kids that’s come through, he’s a young adult now but he’s only 18.
“I think it would be good for people to remember he is just turning 18. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and I’m really excited to see and watch his progress.
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“I saw a picture earlier on of us back in, I think, 2018 and he was one of the grid kids and I’m shaking his hand at the front of the grid!
“It reminds you of how old you are when you have those experiences! But [I’m] looking forward to seeing his growth and his journey through into Formula 1.”
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
