P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes has insisted that its return to winning consistent races in Formula 1 won’t hamper Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s chances at landing the team’s vacant 2025 drive. Antonelli has been regarded as the leading candidate to partner George Russell since the bombshell news arrived that Lewis Hamilton will switch to Ferrari next term. However, Antonelli’s slow […]
Antonelli is considered the front-runner to pair with George Russell at Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari next season. Despite a slow start in his debut Formula 2 season, he impressed with a dominant win in Silverstone and followed it up with another win in Hungary. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed Antonelli as the team’s top choice, leading to expectations of his F1 debut alongside Russell in 2025. Mercedes emphasizes that recent on-track success will not alter their driver selection process, aiming for the best drivers to complement their car development efforts. Antonelli’s exceptional speed and rapid progression through the junior formulae have earned him praise as a potential future F1 champion.
