Next season will see a new driver line-up at the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team with 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli joining George Russell, replacing Lewis Hamilton who is moving to Ferrari.
Antonelli will be moving up from FIA F2, graduating from the team’s junior programme, like Russell did before him.
Commenting on the new driver line-up, Team Principal & CEO, Toto Wolff, said:
“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.
“George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team. Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport. We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process. In George, he has an experienced team-mate from which he can learn and hone his craft. I am confident that both will contribute greatly as we continue to build momentum and fight at the front of the field.”
Russell joined the team’s junior programme back in 2017 and rose rapidly through the single-seater ranks to F1, winning the GP3 and F2 championships in his very first season. Then, after three years at Williams, which included an impressive cameo drive for Mercedes at Bahrain in 2020, he joined the team to partner Lewis Hamilton in 2022, claiming his maiden F1 victory in the São Paulo Grand Prix and has become a multiple race winner with his most recent success being at the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June.
Speaking about his new partnership, Russell said:
“I’m really excited to be partnering with Kimi for 2025. His record in junior formula has been formidable and his promotion is truly deserved. He’s a fantastic young talent and a fellow graduate of our junior programme. I look forward to using the experience I’ve gained from my own journey to provide guidance to Kimi as he makes the step up to F1. I know how much of a support Lewis was for me throughout my time as a junior driver and since I’ve been his team-mate. I’ve learned so much from him and I hope to play a similar role for Kimi.
“As a team, we’re building a lot of positive momentum heading into next year. We continue to make progress on track and are working hard to put all the pieces in place to fight for world championships. It is a really exciting journey we are on; I am confident Kimi and I can continue to push the team forward and help deliver on the promise we are showing.”
Antonelli has enjoyed an impressive rise through the lower ranks of motorsport, joining the team’s junior programme as a 12-year old in 2019. Following his success in karting where he took the FIA Karting European Championship and WSK Euro series titles, Antonelli moved up into single-seaters, winning both the ADAC and Italian Formula 4 titles in 2022, before going on to win the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship. So far this year he has taken two victories in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
“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.”
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor of Our Man Behind The Wheel, a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers, professional photographer and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs courtesy of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
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