Rumor has it that Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to make his Formula 1 debut in Monza. According to the Italian branch of Motorsport.com, the young Italian will take the wheel of the W15 during the first free practice of his home race. Mercedes is expected to officially announce that Antonelli will be Lewis Hamilton’s successor.
Lewis Hamilton announced at the beginning of the season that he would be moving to Ferrari in 2025, and since then, the rumor mill about potential successors to the Brit has been in full swing. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff would ideally like to see Max Verstappen in the seat next to George Russell, but it now seems that the choice will fall on Mercedes junior, Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
READ ALSO: Wolff confirms that Kimi Antonelli is the favorite to succeed Hamilton, but after Verstappen
Antonelli’s Transition from Formula 2 to Formula 1
Antonelli, currently competing in Formula 2, is reportedly not going to race there much longer. The timing of the Italian’s Formula 1 debut is not entirely coincidental, as Antonelli turns eighteen on August 25th. The young driver will then meet all the requirements for a super license.
Is ‘Bono’ Antonelli’s New Race Engineer?
Mercedes is already busy preparing Antonelli. The driver from Bologna has already completed several simulation sessions at the factory in Brackley and also drove the W15 at Spa. Peter Bonnington, the current race engineer of Lewis Hamilton, is rumored to be Antonelli’s new race engineer. It was announced on Wednesday that ‘Bono’ will not be joining Hamilton at Ferrari.
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