In a major development for the Formula One world, Mercedes have officially announced their driver line-up for the 2025 season. George Russell will be joined by 17-year-old prodigy Kimi Antonelli, putting an end to speculation over who will succeed Lewis Hamilton.
This decision follows in the footsteps of Ferrari and Red Bull, as the final piece of the puzzle in the top three teams’ driver carousel has fallen into place.
A new era for Mercedes
According to reports from Germany’s RTL/ntv and sport.de media networks, the German manufacturing giant has decided to field George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli as their driver duo for next season. The young Antonelli, who has long been tipped as Hamilton’s successor, has now been officially confirmed.
It is a significant moment for the Silver Arrows as they invest in the future with a rising star alongside the experienced Russell.
The actual reason behind Perez re-sign
Hamilton stokes rumours that Mercedes nobbled him in Montreal
The 2025 driver line-ups confirmed for the top teams
With this announcement, the eight most coveted seats in Formula One have been filled for the 2025 season. Ferrari will run Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull will continue with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, McLaren will retain Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Mercedes will now run George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Marko: “Perez has mental issues”
Mercedes abandons Verstappen dream
This decision also signals the end of Mercedes’ pursuit of Max Verstappen. The Silver Arrows had made an irresistible offer to the three-time world champion, reportedly including attempts to sign key figures such as Helmut Marko and design guru Adrian Newey.
Despite these efforts, Mercedes were unable to secure Verstappen’s signature, leading them to focus on Antonelli as their future talent.
Red Bull under fire from McLaren CEO
Strategic moves behind the scenes
Insiders reveal that Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team had initially considered sending Antonelli to Williams, their in-house engine supplier, as part of a strategic move. However, rumours now suggest that Williams have secured the signature of Carlos Sainz, who appears to be leaning away from Sauber/Audi.
These developments, while not officially confirmed, point to a wider strategy within the Mercedes camp.
Hamilton stokes rumours Mercedes nobbled him in Canada
Antonelli’s rapid rise
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been part of the Mercedes junior programme since 2019, showing his talent in various junior series. Remarkably, he skipped Formula 3 and is set to move directly from Formula 4 to Formula 2 for the 2024 season.
This rapid progression underlines Mercedes’ confidence in his abilities and commitment to developing young talent.
Mercedes’ decision to promote Antonelli is indicative of a wider trend in Formula One, where teams are increasingly investing in young, promising drivers to secure their future. As the sport continues to evolve, the emergence of new talent like Antonelli will play a key role in shaping the competitive landscape.
Finally, Mercedes’ announcement brings clarity to the 2025 driver line-up for the top teams in Formula One. With George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the helm, Mercedes is poised for a new era with a blend of experience and youthful exuberance.
The move also underlines the team’s strategic shift and unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of racing talent. As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on how this new dynamic unfolds on track.
Wolff accused of ‘involving his ego’
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One World Champion, has spoken out about Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s imminent promotion to Mercedes during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. During the interview, Villeneuve believed Antonelli’s move to the main team was almost inevitable, and attributes the decision largely to Toto Wolff’s influence and personal pride.
In an interview with Sky Sports Deutschland, Villeneuve stated: “Toto Wolff is not allowing any other solution than Antonelli. It has been decided, this is Antonelli’s team for the future. He has been preparing for this for years and Toto Wolff’s ego also plays a big part in the decision in favour of Antonelli.
“He wants to prove to the world that he was right to back the young Italian when he was only 12 years old.”
Villeneuve’s comments shed some light on the internal dynamics at Mercedes, and suggest that Wolff’s long-term vision and personal investment in Antonelli were key factors in the decision.
Russell 8-1 to Hamilton: The secret of his success revealed
Private testing at Silverstone
These insights come after reports emerged that Antonelli took part in a private test session at Silverstone in early May. The test, which involved a vintage F1 car, saw Antonelli drive alongside George Russell and Mick Schumacher. This private session was seen as a preparatory step for Antonelli, further demonstrating Mercedes’ commitment to his development.
Adding to the anticipation, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has publicly backed Antonelli as his successor. Hamilton’s support for the young Italian underlines the high expectations and confidence in Antonelli’s potential within the Mercedes camp.
Antonelli has also earned high praise from Mercedes Technical Director James Allison following his first F1 test runs with the team.
“He’s certainly impressed everyone with the sessions he’s done so far,” said Allison. “He’s never been in an F1 car before, but he looked like he had been in one or two laps.”
Allison went on to highlight Antonelli’s natural aptitude and composure, qualities often lacking in young drivers trying to make an impression.
“It’s a cliché, but he’s fast, he’s consistent, he didn’t make any mistakes. Young people can try to impress so much that they spin out, or the opposite, they’re so scared of spinning out that they don’t really show what they can do. Kimi just seemed to get into the right groove naturally, giving good input about how the car felt without really putting a foot wrong, so he looks like the real thing.”
Mercedes boss hopes “it will really f**k them up”
Antonellis’ journey
Antonelli’s journey to Formula 2 this year has been nothing short of spectacular. His career trajectory includes back-to-back title wins in the Italian and German F4 championships, as well as triumphs in the Middle East and European Formula Regional championships.
Backed by Mercedes from 2019, Antonelli’s rise through the racing ranks has been remarkable.
Recently, Antonelli embarked on a special acclimatisation programme, starting with a maiden run in the Mercedes 2021-spec car in Austria. This was soon followed by a test in the 2022 Mercedes at Imola ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
These sessions provided the young driver with invaluable experience and the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in a Formula 1 environment, providing evidence in order for Mercedes to make their decision.
READ MORE: F1 replays banned in France
James Vowels says ‘NO’ to Toto Wolff
When James Vowels left Mercedes to take up the position as team principal at Williams, many F1 observers believed the iconic British F1 racing team would become a satellite of its much larger German operation. Yet Williams is no longer dependent on cash from other Formula One teams to fund their budget and in return accept a junior driver from another organisations academy.
James Bower who is the commercial director for the Grove based team stated last week that Williams now have enough funds from sponsors to spend up to the budget cap limit- something they’ve never done in previous years.
In addition Vowels revealed in Monaco the team were spending “100’s of millions” developing their ageing facilities and equipment in an attempt to build the kind of infrastructure that the top teams possess. Ferrari for years used…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
Not yet official, though, but only a matter of time.
Where would logan go next season?