Eddie Jordan insists Mercedes should have replaced Lewis Hamilton with 25-podium star ahead of Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes have taken one of the biggest gambles in their Formula 1 history with their 2025 driver line-up.

When Mercedes first entered F1 back in 2010, they paired up-and-coming star Nico Rosberg with the sport’s most successful driver: Michael Schumacher.

When the seven-time world champion retired after three seasons, they brought in Lewis Hamilton, who already had a title under his belt and would go on to match Schumacher’s incredible record.

Valtteri Bottas was drafted in when Rosberg unexpectedly announced his retirement in 2016 before the Finn made way for George Russell.

Russell was relatively inexperienced but had spent three years at Williams honing his craft.

So, when Mercedes discovered that Hamilton would be joining Ferrari in 2025, deciding that Kimi Antonelli was the best replacement for the 39-year-old came as somewhat of a surprise.

Mercedes have a huge amount of faith in the young Italian, but Antonelli’s two FP1 runs have been questioned even if he’s impressed during thousands of kilometres of private running.

Eddie Jordan was speaking on the Formula For Success Podcast and has insisted that Mercedes should have moved for Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz rather than promote Antonelli at this early stage of his career.

Bradley Lord ruled out a swap deal between Sainz and Antonelli next year, regardless of how well the teenager performs.

Eddie Jordan thinks Mercedes should have replaced Lewis Hamilton with Carlos Sainz

Talking about the signing of Antonelli, Jordan said: “They’re probably saving 50 million on the current salary with Lewis Hamilton.

“I think if they were paying Antonelli a couple of million, I mean I think that would be their Christmases all coming at the same time.

“So, there’s a big saving in terms of the costs and relationships.

“But anyway, Antonelli, let’s see. It still, for me, was a surprise.

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“I still believe they should have gone for Carlos Sainz. I still believe that Mercedes, if they were desperately keen to win the Constructors’ Championship, they have George and they needed somebody other than Kimi because, with the greatest of respect, you cannot do it in your first year.

“And if he does, I will be the first to say, hallelujah, brother, you’ve done an amazing job because it just doesn’t come across to me just yet.

“I know I may have to eat my words because the guy’s going to be sensational. But overall, it’s a big ask. It’s a big ask for Mercedes to expect him to be able to do that.”

What Kimi Antonelli has to do to avoid being Mercedes’ worst F1 debutant

Antonelli will become the sixth driver to race for Mercedes in the modern era when he makes his full debut at next year’s Australian Grand Prix.

He will also be the youngest driver on the grid but should be in a much more competitive car than his fellow rookies at Melbourne Park.

READ MORE: Who is 2025 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything to know

The 18-year-old will be compared to previous Mercedes drivers once he steps into the car.

So far, every Mercedes driver has scored points on their debuts for the teams in F1, meaning Antonelli needs to secure a top-10 finish during his first race to keep that streak going.

The gap between the top four teams and the rest of the pack this year means the teenager would likely back himself to achieve that, similar to when Oliver Bearman made his Ferrari debut in Saudi Arabia.

His performance in Australia will set the tone for the rest of the year, particularly if the vastly more experienced Sainz – who has 25 F1 podiums to his name – has a strong start at his new team Williams.