Mercedes have confirmed that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will drive for the team in 2025 with Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari, but the Italian has already made a ‘big mistake’.
The Silver Arrows spent much of their year deciding who should sit alongside George Russell in their garage next season. Hamilton left Mercedes to search for his successor this February after signing a multi-year contract with Ferrari, but the Silver Arrows weighed up all options.
Antonelli quickly emerged as one of the top candidates to replace Hamilton as the 18-year-old is one of the best names in Mercedes’ driver academy. But with this year also his rookie campaign in Formula 2, bosses in Brackley did not want to rush any decision over his future.
Nicky Catsburg urges Andrea Kimi Antonelli to ‘go over the edge’ at Mercedes
A raft of impressive outings from Antonelli in private tests in older Mercedes Formula 1 cars eventually proved enough for him to replace Hamilton. He also drove fantastically to secure Sprint Race victory at Silverstone and Feature Race glory in Budapest for his first wins in F2.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything to know
Everything then came together for Antonelli to make his Formula 1 race weekend debut in FP1 for the Italian Grand Prix. But the Bologna boy’s debut only lasted 10 minutes after he crashed Russell’s W15. Antonelli lost control of his rear at Parabolic and spun into the wall.
Before the shunt, Antonelli was flying and looked set to go atop the early timesheets after improving on the Italian’s initial 1:23.955 at Monza. Yet while the crash was ‘not handy’ in view of replacing Hamilton, Nicky Catsburg has urged Antonelli to keep pushing the limits.
“I thought it was a great show,” Catsburg told Formule1. “He was fast straight away, made a big mistake and everyone is talking about it. I think that’s cool.
“It was only his first practice in F1 and he hasn’t driven much in F2 yet. Then you also get a bit more room to make mistakes. And it also looked like he was on his way very quickly and that something really good was coming.
“A mistake like that is, of course, not handy but it can happen and he learns from that. And I would rather see someone who goes over the edge and searches for the limit very quickly than such a safe driver. I hope Antonelli keeps driving like that.”
Every mistake Andrea Kimi Antonelli makes in F1 will be micro-analysed
Antonelli will find every mistake he makes – no matter how small – will be cast immediately under a microscope when he replaces Hamilton at Mercedes next year. The Italian teenager is already the great hope of a nation and will take over the car of a seven-time F1 champion.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025
His rookie Formula 2 season has not been flawless, either, ahead of launching straight from FRECA in 2023 into Formula 1 in 2025. Antonelli drove brilliantly in wet conditions to master the rain and safety car restarts at Silverstone but did not take a podium in the 14 races prior.
Strategy was also pivotal in Antonelli winning the Feature Race on the Hungarian Grand Prix support bill. He had only qualified in seventh place but took advantage of the timings of the safety car interruptions to stop for fresh rubber and streak clear to then win by 12 seconds.
