Mercedes Welcomes Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Hamilton’s Replacement
Toto Wolff states that Mercedes anticipates “great things” from Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has been named as Lewis Hamilton’s successor for next year.
The 18-year-old driver will join George Russell, giving Mercedes what team principal Wolff describes as “two extraordinary drivers.”
Antonelli, who faced a significant crash during his F1 race weekend debut in practice at the Italian Grand Prix, has been a Mercedes protégé since he was just 11 years old.
Wolff decided to promote the Italian after only one season in Formula 2 because he believes Antonelli has the potential to become a leading driver and that keeping him out of F1 would be a missed opportunity.
“Kimi has been with us since the age of 11,” Wolff shared in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport. “In his karting days, he was exceptional—arguably the only one who came close was Max Verstappen’s karting trajectory.”
“He has progressed through the formula series, securing wins in his rookie years, which is quite special,” Wolff continued. “Kimi possesses all the necessary skills—ability and speed—and he has been an integral part of the team for a long time, having tested extensively.”
“We expect great things, but it’s important to understand that he’ll need time to develop,” said Wolff.
Antonelli expressed that his promotion is “an amazing feeling” and the realization of “a dream I’ve had since I was a very small boy.”
This year, Mercedes has been preparing Antonelli for F1 through an extensive testing program with former cars, which will continue throughout the year.
Wolff acknowledged that he anticipates Antonelli will make mistakes as he navigates the complexities of F1 next season. “We’ll likely witness some impressive races and highlights in his debut season. However, we might also see some front wings go missing after Turn One and a few races that don’t go as smoothly,” he noted. “F1 is a complicated environment with many controls that require adaptation.”
Wolff also stated that it would be unrealistic to expect Antonelli to perform at the same level as Russell in his first season, describing Russell as “one of the very best drivers in the world.” He added, “It’s not feasible to expect Kimi to be near that level right away.”
“Nonetheless, we recognize and George also acknowledges that there’s a young driver with immense talent, which gives us hope to have two truly strong drivers,” Wolff commented.
Hamilton has consistently endorsed Antonelli as the ideal choice for his replacement after his move to Ferrari next season. The seven-time champion mentioned at the Italian Grand Prix that the Bologna-born teenager is “one of those super-talent kids that come through,” emphasizing that he has “a bright future ahead of him.”
What are your thoughts on Antonelli’s promotion to F1? Do you think he will thrive in the pressure of the top-tier racing environment?
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