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Andrea Kimi Antonelli is to match a Mercedes F1 record that was set in 1954.
New Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will match a 71-year record when he debuts for the team, replacing Lewis Hamilton who moved to Ferrari. Antonelli, a long-time Mercedes protege, will be 18 when he races in Australia in March among six rookie drivers, including Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar. This marks the first time a rookie will drive for Mercedes since the 1954 German Grand Prix. In 1954, Mercedes entered the championship late with Fangio, Hermann, and Kling, with Kling finishing second in his debut behind Fangio. The team withdrew after the tragic Le Mans disaster in 1955, and made a comeback in 2010 as the current works team.
