Kimi Antonelli, 17 years old, appears to be the only candidate for the potential replacement of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, who is about to join Ferrari next season.
Mercedes was left without a driver for 2025 after Hamilton’s surprising move to Scuderia Ferrari. Despite having several options among free agents, the team seems determined to hire the 17-year-old youngster.
Antonelli, a promising talent from the Mercedes program, made his debut in F2 this season. Initially, it was expected that he would be promoted to F1 in a few years. However, Hamilton’s departure created an immediate opportunity for the young Italian at Mercedes.
Although there were other talented drivers available for 2025, including Toto Wolff, the Austrian billionaire indicated that the seat is open for Antonelli unless they can convince Max Verstappen to join. However, it is highly unlikely that Verstappen will leave Red Bull in the near future. This raises the question: Why is Mercedes so eager to hire a 17-year-old like Kimi Antonelli?
Toto Wolff expressed regret for not hiring Max Verstappen in 2014. The Dutch driver chose to join Red Bull, which allowed him to debut in F1 the following season. Naturally, Wolff was disappointed to lose such a talented driver a decade ago. Now, he wants to secure the next exciting talent for Mercedes.
Mercedes is no longer the dominant force it once was. The team has struggled to regain its position at the front of the grid in the current era of ground effect. Therefore, Toto Wolff’s team can afford to have a rookie driver on their team, especially since they are not realistically in contention for the world title in 2025.
Furthermore, if the bet on Kimi Antonelli pays off, Mercedes will have an ideal long-term lineup with the Italian driver and George Russell. Under Wolff’s guidance, the 17-year-old could become the next Max Verstappen of his generation. Meanwhile, Russell would be motivated to take on the role of team leader.
Mercedes seems to be going all in on Kimi Antonelli. Although no official confirmation has been made by both parties, the recent changes in the FIA Superlicense rules make it highly likely that Antonelli will secure a spot at Mercedes next season. Fans are eager to see how the Italian driver will perform in the coming months.
