Mercedes pick rookie Antonelli to replace Lewis

Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Pic/AFP

Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be thrown in at the deep end next year after Mercedes announced on Saturday that the Italian teenager will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes once the seven-time world champion jumps ship for Ferrari.

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Rookie Antonelli, who celebrated his 18th birthday last weekend, will partner George Russell as he attempts what he called the "impossible" task of stepping in for F1 icon Hamilton. "He's such a great figure in the sport of today. And he has achieved so much in his career," Antonelli told reporters. "So I don't want to see it as [being] his replacement. I'm just the next driver for Mercedes in ‘25."

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said that he decided to move Antonelli up from Formula Two "five minutes after Lewis Hamilton told me that he's going to Ferrari."

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