Formula 1: Mercedes makes it official: Teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli replaces record world champion Lewis Hamilton

Antonelli crash without consequences
Mercedes makes it official: Teenager replaces record world champion

31.08.2024, 10:48 a.m.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be the new regular driver for the German Formula 1 team Mercedes. The serious accident in the training session in Monza plays no role. “Our duo for 2025 combines experience, talent, youth and speed,” enthuses the team boss.

One day after his violent crash during training, Mercedes confirmed 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the future regular driver of the German Formula 1 factory team. The teenager from Bologna will thus – as expected for some time – be the successor to the great Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows. The 39-year-old record world champion moved to Ferrari after this season.

It had long been an open secret that Mercedes would choose Antonelli. Team boss Toto Wolff had more or less often let it be known openly. The announcement was made in Monza at Ferrari's home race (Race on Sunday, 3 p.m./RTL and Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de), where the Scuderia has otherwise been happy to announce personnel changes. Wolff never made a secret of his appreciation for Antonelli, repeatedly calling him a “child prodigy”. “We need to slow him down rather than make him faster,” said Wolff on the sidelines of the Grand Prix.

Antonelli, who ended up in a tire stack after just a few minutes on Friday during his training debut in a current Mercedes, will drive alongside George Russell (26). “Our duo for 2025 combines experience, talent, youth and speed,” said Wolff in a statement: “Our new pairing is perfect to open a new chapter in our history.”

Mercedes is “a pressure cooker”

Regarding the future of Russell and Antonelli beyond the coming year, Wolff was evasive in a media round on Saturday afternoon: “These two are the future. They have contracts that run for much longer. But it's complicated with options.” Mercedes is “a pressure cooker,” noted Wolff: “But we want to rely on these two.”

Antonelli had only turned 18 on Sunday – one of the requirements for a Formula 1 driver's license for several years. However, a rule added in June now allows exceptions. This is not necessary for the designated Mercedes regular driver, who everyone just calls Kimi Antonelli.

“Dream that I have had since childhood”

He comes from Mercedes' junior development program and is currently driving for the Italian Prema team – like Mick Schumacher once did. In 2022 he won the German Formula 4 championship. He skipped Formula 3 and is driving in Formula 2 this year. He will be a Formula 1 driver from 2025. “Getting into Formula 1 is a dream I've had since I was a child,” said Antonelli, whom Wolff wants to make a champion under his leadership.

Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of the year after twelve seasons and six drivers' titles. Antonelli is considered a risky solution with a great future. At the same time, Wolff had also been trying hard throughout the year to convince three-time world champion Max Verstappen to switch from Red Bull to Mercedes.