August 31st 2024.
In a major announcement, it has been confirmed that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be joining the F1 grid in the upcoming season as part of the Mercedes team. The Italian teenager will be replacing none other than Sir Lewis Hamilton, as the seven-time world champion moves on to join Ferrari.
Antonelli, who has been highly praised for his skills, has signed a multi-year contract with the Silver Arrows and is set to make his F1 debut next year. Expressing his excitement, he said, "I am overjoyed to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025. This has been a dream of mine since I was a young boy, and I am grateful to the team for their support and belief in me. While I am still learning, I am ready for this opportunity and will be focused on delivering the best results for the team."
The 18-year-old will be teaming up with George Russell, who himself came up through the Mercedes junior programme. Antonelli has a lot of respect for the British driver and is eager to learn from him and work together to achieve success on the track. "George is incredibly fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to our partnership and working towards our goals together," he added.
It has been known since February that Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari, leaving a massive seat to be filled. The team had a long list of potential replacements, including big names like Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel. However, team principal Toto Wolff had two clear favorites in mind: Max Verstappen or Antonelli. While he would have loved to sign the three-time champion, his loyalty remains with Red Bull for now.
Antonelli's junior career has been nothing short of sensational, with many already comparing him to Verstappen and Hamilton. Even though his promotion to F1 may have come sooner than expected, there is a lot of excitement surrounding his future. Wolff has been a supporter of Antonelli since his karting days and signed him for the Mercedes junior programme in 2019. Since then, he has quickly risen through the ranks, winning championships in German and Italian Formula 4, as well as Formula Regional European and Middle East in 2023. This year, he made the jump to Formula 2 and has already secured two wins, currently sitting in seventh place in the standings.
Antonelli will be partnering with Russell, who is contracted to Mercedes until the end of 2025. With two young and talented drivers on their team, the future looks bright for Mercedes. As they bid farewell to Hamilton and welcome Antonelli, the team is ready to take on the challenge and continue their success in the world of F1.
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