Antonelli Confirmed as Hamilton’s Successor at Mercedes as Team Looks Toward ‘Next Chapter’
Mercedes has confirmed that rookie Kimi Antonelli will join George Russell as his teammate for the 2025 season, stepping up from F2 to take Lewis Hamilton’s spot. The decision comes after Hamilton announced his departure to Ferrari at the end of the season.
The announcement was made on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, a day after Antonelli, 18, made his FP1 debut for Mercedes at Monza. Antonelli has enjoyed a remarkable junior career, winning the ADAC and Italian F4 titles in 2022 and the Formula Regional European Championship in 2023. This season, he skipped F3 and moved straight to F2 with PREMA, where he has won two races and is currently sixth in the championship. He has also been testing in older F1 machinery with Mercedes.
Antonelli expressed his excitement, saying, “Being announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025 is an amazing feeling. Reaching F1 has been a dream since childhood, and I’m grateful for the team’s support and trust in me. I’m eager to learn and deliver the best results for the team.”
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff praised Antonelli, highlighting that the 2025 driver lineup, with both drivers graduating from Mercedes’ junior program, represents the perfect combination of experience, talent, and speed. He emphasized the team’s belief in home-grown talent and expressed confidence in Antonelli’s potential to thrive in F1.
Russell, who extended his contract with Mercedes until the end of 2025, also welcomed Antonelli, acknowledging his impressive junior career and looking forward to mentoring him. Russell emphasized the team’s momentum and their shared goal of fighting for world championships.
Despite a crash in his first FP1 at Monza, Antonelli quickly rebounded to qualify sixth in F2. He is expected to get another FP1 run for Mercedes later this year, potentially in Mexico.
