Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes after a decade of glory sent seismic waves throughout the paddock. The Briton ended his stint as he will join Scuderia Ferrari from 2025. While this decision erupted joy in the Tifosis, it left the Brackley-based squad to fill a massive void. The Silver Arrows has been searching to replace a seven-time world champion.
While plenty of options were available, team chief Toto Wolff wanted the best driver in the second seat. After a long wait, the team will announce the replacement of Lewis Hamilton soon. The name was expected to be Hamilton’s successor and is a favorite of Wolff.
Kimi Antonelli To Be Crowned As Hamilton’s Mercedes Successor
After waiting for the entire year, Mercedes management is ready to announce George Russell’s partner for 2025 and beyond. While Toto Wolff was observing the drivers’ carousel, he waited for the right moment to finalize any option. Therefore, according to an Italian publication, Autosprint, Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton. The official ‘hand-over’ ceremony will occur during the Italian GP weekend. The young Italian prodigy has earned a name for himself in the current F2 season. Kimi, who Wolff has highly praised, has been part of the Mercedes driver program since his early racing career. The Prema racing driver skipped F3 due to his phenomenal skills. Moreover, he has been a crucial part of Mercedes testing, driving previous F1 cars in Imola, Red Bull Racing ring, and Spa.
Further, this decision would put a full stop to Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen. The Austrian executive was always hopeful of driving Verstappen away from Red Bull. Thus, he postponed the decision on the second driver, as even a slim chance might have allowed him to sign Verstappen. Unfortunately, his dream of signing the triple champion vanished as Verstappen asserted his future was with RBR. Moreover, in a recent interview, the Mercedes chief felt he could still poach Verstappen from Red Bull in 2026.
Meanwhile, after an empathic victory in Silverstone, Kimi Antonelli discussed his plans. He expressed excitement for the Formula One. However, the Italian prodigy is aware of the pressure this sport places on an individual. Consequently, the teenager is ready to brighten up the big stage, as he will now be steering the Mercedes F1 vehicle.
George Russell Excited Lead Mercedes As Team’s New Helm
George Russell has had mixed results in recent races. He won in Austria and originally in Belgium but was disqualified owing to an overweight vehicle, giving Lewis Hamilton the victory.
Despite this setback, Russell is still hopeful about the future. He is confident in building the framework for a more consistent title bid next year. Russell acknowledged the difficulties in bringing the car up to a competitive level in recent years. Nonetheless, he indicated high drive and enthusiasm for the rest of the season and into 2025. He feels that Mercedes has a good chance of finishing in contention with the present competition.
