17-year-old Kimi Antonelli appears to be the sole candidate for Mercedes’ potential replacement of Lewis Hamilton, who is set 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 the pool of free agents, the team seems determined to sign the 17-year-old.
Antonelli, a promising talent from the Mercedes program, made his F2 debut 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.
While there were other talented drivers available for 2025, including , Toto Wolff, the Austrian billionaire, has indicated that the seat is open for Antonelli unless they can convince Max Verstappen to join. However, it is highly unlikely that Verstappen would leave Red Bull in the near future. This raises the question: Why is Mercedes so eager to sign a 17-year-old like Kimi Antonelli?
Toto Wolff has expressed regret for not signing Max Verstappen back 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 miss out on 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 ground-effect era. Therefore, Toto Wolff’s team can afford to have a rookie driver in their lineup, especially since they are not realistically in contention for the world title in 2025.
Furthermore, if the gamble on Kimi Antonelli pays off, Mercedes would have an ideal long-term lineup with the Italian driver and . Under Wolff’s guidance, the 17-year-old could potentially 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 placing all their bets on Kimi Antonelli. Although no official confirmation has been made by either side, the recent rule change regarding FIA’s Super license makes it highly likely that Antonelli will secure a seat at Mercedes next season. Fans are eagerly anticipating how the Italian driver will fare in the upcoming months.