P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton has said his current team will “nurture” likely successor Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is “naturally” a Mercedes driver and is part of a “new wave” of talent breaking into F1.
Lewis Hamilton believes that Andrea Kimi Antonelli, his expected replacement, will be nurtured at Mercedes and considers him a natural fit for the team. Antonelli, an 18-year-old, will debut in F1 at the Italian Grand Prix FP1, replacing George Russell, likely to be his future partner at Mercedes next season. Hamilton views Antonelli as the ideal successor and trusts that he will thrive in the team’s environment. The seven-time champion is excited about the new talent emerging in F1, drawing parallels to his own rise with McLaren in 2007. While Antonelli’s confirmation as a 2025 Mercedes driver seems imminent, Hamilton acknowledges that other options are still being considered by team boss Toto Wolff.
