Mercedes is poised to announce Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at the Formula 1 team in 2025 at the Italian Grand Prix, according to a report.
The German marque appeared to have locked down its driver line-up through 2025 last September when it publicised that Hamilton and George Russell had extended.
However, Mercedes was stunned prior to the season starting when Hamilton activated a break clause in his latest deal to pen a sensational move to Ferrari next term.
Antonelli has been tipped as the leading contender to take the vacant drive ever since, despite Mercedes boss Toto Wolff warning he doesn’t want to burn the protege.
The Italian has posted a stellar career through the single-seater ladder and his rapid climb has seen him spring Formula 3 to move straight into Formula 2 this season.
But despite enduring a stuttering start to his maiden campaign in the second tier, Antonelli has since registered victories in the Britain Sprint and the Hungary Feature.
Autosprint has reported that Antonelli has penned a contract with Mercedes which will begin in 2025, with the team planning to reveal the news at Monza next month.
Antonelli will be present at the Italian circuit as he prepares to compete on home soil once again with his Prema F2 side, where he is seventh in the Drivers’ standings.
Mercedes has been dovetailing Antonelli’s debut campaign in F2 with a substantial F1 testing programme, which has included sampling both the 2021 and 2022 cars.
Antonelli will slot in alongside Russell, who is competing in his third season with Mercedes and will become the squad’s more experienced driver once Hamilton exits.
Hamilton’s entire F1 career to date has been powered using Mercedes engines and his partnership with the marque’s works team has been the most successful in F1.
Antonelli’s progression will mirror the seven-time F1 champion’s meteoric rise as Hamilton debuted with a front-running McLaren in 2007 and almost secured the title.
“I have no idea what Toto’s plans are but, for me, taking on a youngster would be [the right move],” Hamilton said. “If it was my job, my role, I’d probably take on Kimi.”
Mercedes gambling on a rookie comes at a time when it has delivered an uptick in competitiveness and seems on track to return to championship contention in 2025.
The Brackleu-based squad attained three victories in five races in the run-up to the summer break, including a 1-2 on track in Belgium before Russell’s disqualification.
However, Russell has stressed that he feels prepared to contest his maiden F1 title, while Wolff has assured that Antonelli will be given the time to make rookie errors.
The Austrian, who has been pursuing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, has outlined that Antonelli can use next season to be prepped to tackle F1’s regulation reset in 2026.
“Of course there are risks,” Wolff Autosport Wereld last month on the prospect of signing Antonelli.
“They are not so much in his talent as a driver, but Antonelli would be exposed to the media and to the skills of George Russell, one of the best drivers on the grid.
“But Kimi has enormous potential. His speed and talent are already at a certain level, he just lacks the experience.”
Discussion about this post