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Who is Antonio Fuoco? Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari replacement at Mexican GP
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will sit out of FP1 at the F1 Mexican Grand Prix, making way for seasoned Ferrari driver Antonio Fuoco.
At 29, Fuoco has excelled in motorsport but never reached F1, contributing significantly to Ferrari’s development work and providing key technical feedback.
Instead, he found success in the World Endurance Championship, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari in 2024.
Fuoco, the seventh Italian to win Le Mans with Ferrari, will finally test his pace in the SF-25 during Friday’s practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, ending a 16-year Italian driver drought in Ferrari’s F1 car.
Their last Italian driver was in 2009, when Fisichella replaced Massa due to injury; now, Fuoco’s chance comes as Leclerc reunites with his former team-mate.
Fuoco started his karting career at four, won the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps title in 2013, and has raced in various series before joining Ferrari’s Driver Academy.
Previously teammates with Leclerc in F2, Fuoco will return to the F1 track alongside him in Mexico City, where several teams will field rookies in place of regular drivers for the session.
