Kimi Antonelli to drive for Mercedes F1 in 2025
31 August 2024Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been announced as an official 2025 Formula 1 driver for the Brackley squad, filling the sizeable void left by Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
Amidst rampant speculation of a potential Italian Grand Prix weekend announcement, Antonelli suffered a high-profile crash at Curva Alboreto in FP1, but that didn’t dissuade Mercedes from securing the 18-year-old’s signature for next year.
With names such as Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz in the running for the vacant Mercedes seat earlier in the season, the young Italian is in good company, but that also comes with a significant spotlight that would’ve played its part in the aforementioned incident.
Antonelli's CV
Antonelli’s pedigree speaks for itself, though. A serial winner in Italian F4, ADAC Formula 4, and the Formula Regional Middle East and European championships, anticipation was high ahead of his fast-tracked FIA Formula 2 debut this year.
But his F2 career thus far hasn’t reached stratospheric levels in the same way as the categories that came before. Despite wins in the Silverstone Sprint and Hungary Feature races, he has notched no other podiums in his maiden campaign and sits seventh in the Drivers’ standings.
All is not lost for Kimi, however. Prema Racing F2 team-mate Oliver Bearman (who is destined for Haas in 2025) is enduring a similarly torrid season, in a year with a new F2 car that is proving challenging to extract the maximum from. Similarly, Franco Colapinto – who makes his F1 debut for Williams at Monza – is just one position ahead of Antonelli in the standings.
F1 tests
Success in F2 clearly isn’t as vital as it has been in previous seasons, and successful private tests for Mercedes – one of which was completed following July’s Belgian Grand Prix – also went a long way to securing his future in the sport.
With further FP1 appearances for Antonelli apparently scheduled at the Mexico and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he will have more track time to dial in before he’s thrown into the deep end with one of the grid’s biggest and most successful teams in his debut season.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
“It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025. Reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy; I want to thank the team for the support they’ve given me in my career so far and the faith they’ve shown in me. I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team.
“I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for. He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.”
Toto Wolff
“Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed. We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership. Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent."
