Andrea Kimi Antonelli Joins Mercedes in 2025
Eighteen-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be driving for Mercedes starting from 2025, the team announced on Saturday. The news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was already out in February, leaving the Formula 1 world in anticipation of his replacement. The young Antonelli’s move to Mercedes had been a well-known secret for some time. He had his first free training with the team in Monza, which unfortunately resulted in a major crash.
Currently, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is racing in Formula 2 with PREMA, but he will make his debut in the premier class with Mercedes next year. The Italian, who turned eighteen during the GP in Zandvoort, is considered a promising talent by experts. Mercedes staff have already compared him several times to a young Max Verstappen.
‘More Than Deserved’
According to team boss Toto Wolff, the team has a strong line-up for the future with Antonelli. “Our drivers will form a combination of experience, talent, youth, and pure speed,” he stated in an official press release. “Mercedes is now perfectly prepared for our next chapter in Formula 1. George (Russell) has already proven that he is one of the best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but he has also developed into a strong leader within the team.”
“Kimi (Antonelli) has repeatedly shown that he has the talent and speed to compete at the top of our sport,” Wolff continues. “We know he will have to make a big step, but he has already surprised us so many times this year in various Formula 1 tests. With the guidance of an experienced teammate like George, he can undoubtedly learn a lot and refine his skills.”
“I am very excited to work with Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2025,” responds George Russell, who already has a contract with Mercedes for the upcoming year. “His performances in the training classes are impressive and his promotion is more than deserved. He is a fantastic young talent – I look forward to guiding him in his transition to Formula 1.”
Response to Crash
On Friday, Antonelli got his first taste of Formula 1; he was allowed to drive a free practice in Russell’s car in front of the home crowd in Monza. However, after a number of impressive opening laps, he ended his session in the wall of turn 11. “It was quite a hard hit, about 52G,” he says. “I certainly learned from it – I want to apologize to the team and to George for all the extra work they now have to do.”
“However, I am very grateful to the team for this opportunity,” he continues. “It was great to see all those tifosi and to drive my first laps with all the other drivers on the track.” The young Italian is currently the third rookie for the 2025 season; Haas and Alpine previously contracted 19-year-old Oliver Bearman and 21-year-old Jack Doohan.
With Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes line-up for 2025 is complete (Mercedes)
Read everything about the GP of Italy in Monza here
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