Mercedes sign wonderkid Ethan Jeff-Hall, 16, who achieved feat not even seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton managed

MERCEDES have snapped up 16-year-old wonderkid Ethan Jeff-Hall for their junior team.

Jeff-Hall turned heads after dramatically securing the CIK-FIA World Championship title on the last lap of the final race in 2024.

Not even seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton achieved such a feat.

Hamilton – who won six world titles with Mercedes – didn’t get his hands on a world karting crown before bursting on to the motorsport scene in 2007 at 22 years old.

Jeff-Hall is bidding to follow in Lando Norris’ footsteps, after the McLaren star took the karting title in 2014 before joining F1.

Fellow Brit Jeff-Hall is now gearing up for his maiden outing in single-seaters after being confirmed as Mercedes’ latest prodigy.

The rising star out of Trent Valley Kart Club is set to burn rubber for Argenti Motorsport in the British Formula 4 championship this season.

Mercedes are connected to Argenti through founder and team manager Michael Meadows, who has family ties to the Silver Arrows.

When news of his step-up was confirmed, Jeff-Hall said: “I’m excited and ready to face the challenge.

“Winning championships like Ginetta Juniors and the FIA World Karting title has taught me a lot about consistency, adaptability and handling pressure at the highest level.

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“It’s a new chapter, and I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got.”

Jeff-Hall joins a star-studded cast in the Mercedes junior programme.

Kenzo Craigie, 14, clinched the junior world karting crown in 2024 and remains in the academy, as does runner-up James Anagnostiadis.

Female prodigy Luna Fluxa is also in the team’s line-up for 2025.

While Chinese prospect Yuanpu Cui remains with the Brackley-based unit after representing Argenti Motorsport last term.

For Jeff-Hall, there’s hope he could one day represent the Silver Arrows on the F1 grid one day.

Mercedes have a proven commitment to nurturing their junior drivers.

Former whizz-kids Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will represent the team on the F1 grid this season.

Antonelli’s career path in particular will be one that every talented youngster within their ranks will want to emulate.

Aged just 18, he was the once chosen by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to be fast-tracked into F1 to fill the sizeable void left by Hamilton after the 41-year-old’s decision to leave for rivals Ferrari.

Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk