After weeks of rumors, the confirmation has arrived: the young Andrea Kimi Antonelli, he is 18 years old, will be the new driver Mercedes from 2025. The Bologna pilot will replace Lewis Hamiltonwho will move to Ferrari.
His debut in Formula 1 and the confidence of Toto Wolff
His Formula 1 debut on August 30 could have been better. On the fifth lap of the Monza circuit during free practice, the pilot hit the barriers of the parabolic curve with the right side of his car“I pushed a little too hard,” Antonelli commented in a short video, “I apologize to George and the team.” Mercedes team boss, Austrian billionaire Toto Wolff, said that The accident did not in any way call into question the Bolognese driver’s potential in Formula 1.
It seems that Toto Wolff never had any doubts about him. “I made my decision five minutes after Lewis Hamilton told me he was going to Ferrari”the tycoon told reporters in Monza.
The Antonelli-Russell duo
Andrea Antonelli will be alongside 26-year-old driver George Russell, who he said he holds in high regard. high esteem. “I’m also very happy to become George’s teammate. He came through the team’s junior program just like me and it’s someone I have a lot of respect for. He is super fast, has won several races and has already helped me improve as a driver.”commented the Bologna driver.
The team veteran was also full of praise for his new partner, saying he was “very excited to work with Kimi for 2025.” “His track record in Formula Junior is formidable. and his promotion is truly deserved”he added. Antonelli will be the first Italian to race in F1 since Giovinazzi in Abu Dhabi with Alfa Sauber in 2021, while the last Italian to win a grand prix was Fischella in Malaysia in 2006.
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