Antonelli does not want to "be seen as Lewis Hamilton's replacement"

Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be one of the attractions of the next season of Formula 1The 18-year-old Italian will indeed be a starter at Mercedes in the company of George Russell.

A confirmation that came the day after the first Free Practice 1 session of the Bologna (Italy) native with the star firm during the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, ended with an early exit from the track. Despite this error, Antonelli feels ready to face the pressure of the premier category of motorsport.

« One of the main elements [to manage the pressure], it's when you know you have a team like Mercedes around you that really believes in you, and they believed in me from a young age » Antonelli explained in comments relayed by the official Formula 1 website.

« They really help me to manage this pressure and even if sometimes I don't manage it perfectly, I always get the good support from Mercedes but also from my family, so I'm really happy to be with them and really happy with the support they have given me, not only in the past but also today. »

Although it takes over from Lewis Hamilton At Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli does not want to be considered as the replacement for the seven-time world champion.

« There is no replacing Lewis Hamilton. He is such a great figure in our sport and he has achieved so much in his career, so I don't want to be seen as his replacement. I am just the next Mercedes driver in 2025. He is a really great guy, he has given me a lot of support and I am happy about that.

The Transalpine still has one more season Formula 2 to finish with Prema and should make an appearance in Free Practice 1 this season.

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