Written by Meghana Sree
Mercedes has finally announced their hotly-anticipated driver lineup for 2025, with 18-year old Kimi Antonelli set to fill in the gap left by departing driver Lewis Hamilton. It comes as no surprise, seeing as how vocal Team Principal Toto Wolff has been in the past about securing young talent for long-term growth.
After just one year in Formula 2, Antonelli will make the jump to Formula 1, where he’ll have George Russell as his teammate in his debut season.
“It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025,” Antonelli said.
“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.
“I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for.
“He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has been highly vocal of the 18-year old's chances of making it to Formula One, 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.
“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.
“George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team.
“Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport. We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process."
Joining the Mercedes Junior Team in 2019, Antonelli has had a remarkable run of form across various championships since then, with title wins in the Italian F4 Championship, the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship, and the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship.
His consistency and calibre put him on the radar for Hamilton’s replacement very early on, especially since directly making the leap to F2, skipping Formula 3 along the way.
The Italian driver’s 2024 F2 campaign has also been impressive, with a Sprint race win in Silverstone and a Feature race win at Hungary. He currently sits seventh in the standings, with 86 points to his name.
Despite Antonelli’s humble protestations saying “I don't know if I will be ready” for an F1 seat, he has certainly proved his worth and caught the eye of many in the paddock. It was always inevitable that the prodigy would reach F1. It was never an ‘if’, but a ‘when’, and that time is now.
There’s no doubt everyone will be keeping a keen eye on the young Italian’s progress as he gears up to face the biggest stage of his career.
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