Kimi Antonelli Replaces Hamilton At Mercedes

Mercedes have officially roped in Italian driver Kimi Antonelli as George Russell’s team mate for 2025. He has stepped up from F2 to replace Lewis Hamilton who is leaving Mercedes from next season.

The Silver Arrows have been on a hunt for a driver who would race for them next season after Hamilton decided to part ways with them at the end of the season to join Ferrari.

However, on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, and just a day after Antonelli made his FP1 debut, Mercedes confirmed that the 18-year-old would be racing for them. 

“It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025,” said Antonelli. “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.”

Antonelli has had an illustrious junior career, rapidly rising through the ranks. After clinching the ADAC and Italian F4 titles in 2022 and Formula Regional European Championship in 2023, the Mercedes junior skipped F3 and entered F2 with PREMA this season.

The Italian  has won two races and currently lies sixth in the championship. He has competed in F2 with a testing programme in old-spec F1 machinery with Mercedes.

With this signing, both drivers in Mercedes’ 2025 line-up have graduated from their junior programme – with Russell geared up for his fourth season with the Silver Arrows having joined the junior squad in 2017.

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Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said, “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.”

Antonelli had a crash in his first FP1 at Monza after just five laps, but bounced back to qualify sixth in F2 just a couple of hours later. The Italian is expected to bag another run for Mercedes in FP1 this year, with the team mulling doing it in Mexico.