Mercedes have announced that Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton from the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Afrosport reports.
Seven-time F1 champion Hamilton revealed in February that he will join Ferrari next year, prompting Mercedes’ search for a replacement for the 39-year-old.
The Silver Arrows have now found one in rising star Antonelli, who turned 18 last Sunday, and will replace the Brit to become George Russell’s team-mate on a one-year contract.
BREAKING: Andrea Kimi Antonelli to race for Mercedes from 2025!#F1 pic.twitter.com/bhLN48UdRE
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2024
Antonelli, a graduate of Mercedes’ junior program, made his team debut on Friday during the practice session at the Italian Grand Prix. Although the teenager crashed in the early stages, he eventually walked out unscathed and Mercedes Chief Executive Officer Toto Wolff was unperturbed about the incident which dampened the youngster’s debut a bit.
“He’s a rookie, he’s very young, we are prepared to invest into his future and these moments will happen and they will continue to happen next year, but there will also be a lot of highlights,” Wolff said.
Like Antonelli, his future teammate Russell, also progressed through Mercedes’ junior ranks, and the 26-year-old has secured two race wins with the team, most recently at the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
“We are excited about what George [Russell] and Kimi [Antonelli] bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership,” Wolff added. “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.”
For fans, it would take some getting used to as Mercedes enjoyed immense success during Hamilton’s time with the team as they earned eight straight constructors’ championships before succumbing to Red Bull in the past two seasons.
Hamilton, who is now set to team up with Charles Leclerc, who won the Italian GP on Sunday, claimed six of his record-equalling seven F1 titles with Mercedes.
