Formula One: Kimi Antonelli to race for Mercedes F1 team from 2025

Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to race for Mercedes in Formula One from 2025, the team announced on Saturday.

He will race alongside George Russell and will take the spot which will be left vacant by Lewis Hamilton who will join Ferrari next season.

Antonelli crashed heavily on his Formula One practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix on Friday and brought the session to a halt after 10 minutes at Monza when the rear of the Mercedes snapped out of line at high-speed Parabolica and the car spun off into the barriers.

Replacing race regular Russell for the session, he had made an encouraging start with a clean first lap as the early pacesetter.

“Sorry,” he said over the radio before getting out and walking away. “Kimi, all good,” said team boss Toto Wolff in reply.