Mercedes has announced that 18-year-old rookie, Kimi Antonelli, will replace Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Antonelli will join George Russell as his teammate.
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The announcement, published on the Formula 1 website on Saturday, August 31, was made on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, following Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the current season to join Ferrari.
Antonelli, who has steadily advanced through the motorsport ranks, will step up from Formula 2, where he currently competes with PREMA.
Commenting on his promotion, Antonelli expressed his excitement, describing it as a dream come true.
“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 their support and the faith they’ve shown in me. I am still learning, but I feel ready for the opportunity and will focus on delivering the best possible results.”
The young Italian driver made headlines recently after debuting in Formula 1’s FP1 session at his home track in Monza, just a day before Mercedes revealed his promotion to their main team.
Antonelli’s journey through the junior categories has been nothing short of remarkable. After clinching titles in both the ADAC and Italian F4 championships in 2022, followed by a dominant victory in the Formula Regional European Championship in 2023, Antonelli bypassed Formula 3 to compete directly in F2 this season.
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