Lewis Hamilton says he would “probably take on” Andrea Kimi Antonelli as his replacement at Mercedes for F1 2025 if it was down to him.
The seven-time world champion’s bombshell decision to quit Mercedes and make the switch to Ferrari next season has left a vacant seat alongside George Russell.
Mercedes wonderkid Antonelli is believed to be the team’s first choice to replace Hamilton, despite the 17-year-old Italian only stepping up to Formula 2 this year, having skipped Formula 3.
Antonelli, who only made the step up from karting to cars in 2021, is already being tipped as a future F1 driver after winning multiple junior single-seater titles at the first time of asking.
He has conducted two private F1 tests for Mercedes – driving their 2021 and 2022 cars at the Red Bull Ring and Imola respectively – in recent weeks.
Carlos Sainz, who has been left without a drive following Ferrari’s decision to sign Hamilton, is another, more experienced, option for Mercedes.
Ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Hamilton was asked if he thinks Sainz would be the perfect replacement to fill his seat.
“Carlos is a great driver so I think wherever he goes I think he would be a positive for any team,” the 39-year-old told media including Crash.net.
“Honestly I have no idea what Toto’s plans are but for me, taking on a youngster… If it was my job, if it was my role, I would probably take on Kimi.”
It emerged at the Miami Grand Prix that a team had asked the FIA to provide Antonelli with a superlicence so that he could make his F1 debut before he turns 18 on August 25.
Antonelli already has enough superlicence points but the FIA’s rules block drivers from making their grand prix debut before the age of 18.
Toto Wolff, who insisted the exemption request was not made by Mercedes, has been keen to avoid pilling unnecessary pressure on Antonelli.
“It doesn’t do him any favours because he needs to concentrate on his F2 campaign. He’s doing lots of testing for us in order to bring him up to speed, and I think this decision of the second driver is weeks if not months away,” Wolff said.