Kimi Antonelli is widely reported to be Lewis Hamilton’s successor at Mercedes for 2025, and his move is expected to become official during the Italian GP weekend. Hamilton spoke about the 18-year-old on media day in Monza and couldn’t help but feel reminded of his own age as he recalled the first time he met Antonelli.
Hamilton referred to a picture from 2018, where he was shaking Antonelli’s hand at the circuit. At that time, Antonelli was just a grid kid aiming to climb the junior ranks and eventually make it to F1. Hamilton, on the other hand, was at the peak of his career, fighting for championship number five.
“It obviously reminds you of how old you are when you have those experiences,” said Hamilton. “I’m looking forward to seeing him on track in Formula 1.”
When Lewis met Kimi Antonelli in 2018 pic.twitter.com/sqM6I8TLip
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 29, 2024
Hamilton praised Antonelli‘s talents but also reminded people that he is still young. With a bright future ahead, the Briton is excited to see how things will go once Antonelli makes his full-time F1 debut (with Mercedes) in a few months.
Currently in F2, Antonelli is seventh in the championship standings with 87 points to his name. He has secured two victories so far—one in the Sprint and one in the Feature race.
It’s noteworthy that Antonelli is in his rookie F2 campaign. Although his results have not met the high expectations set by the majority of the F1 community, Mercedes has placed full trust in him to compete full-time in F1 as Hamilton’s replacement.
However, Antonelli was not the only driver Mercedes was after. Had things gone Toto Wolff‘s way, there could have been a different unveiling at this weekend’s race in Monza.
Mercedes’ failed Max Verstappen pursuit
When Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was first announced, it was revealed that Max Verstappen was Team Principal Wolff’s top target. The Austrian was after the Dutchman’s signature for several months, meeting with his camp off-track on multiple occasions to persuade him to join the Brackley-based team.
Verstappen, however, was happy in Milton-Keynes, where he won three World championships with Red Bull. Even when Mercedes improved on the track, Verstappen was adamant about staying at Red Bull.
During the 2024 summer break, Verstappen’s camp met with Wolff one final time. Both parties mutually agreed to end negotiations. However, by that point, Wolff had already accepted defeat and decided to make Antonelli the team’s future.
