Teenage candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton praised by Mercedes technical director

Formula 1's driver market is slowly taking shape as multiple drivers look for their next career move ahead of the 2025 season.

Lewis Hamilton is switching to Ferrari, and Nico Hulkenberg is moving from the American team Haas to Sauber, which Audi will take over in 2026.

Hamilton's surprise move to Ferrari left Carlos Sainz without a drive for next season. The Spaniard has been touted as a candidate for the vacant seat on the German team, although he will face stiff competition from Mercedes Junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

The Italian is just 17 years old and not old enough to race in Formula 1 until he turns 18 in August.

Antonelli is racing in Formula 2 and has consistently scored points, although he has yet to have his breakthrough moment and score a podium.

Mercedes Technical Director James Allison praised the teenager who has tested multiple Mercedes F1 cars during an extensive testing program this season.

“He’s certainly impressed everyone with the sessions he’s run so far,” Allison said via F1.com. “He’d never been in an F1 car, but he looked like he had within a lap or two.

“It’s a cliché, but he’s fast, he’s consistent, didn’t make any mistakes. Young people can be trying to impress so much that they will spin off or the opposite; they’re so terrified of spinning off that they don’t really show what they can do.

“Kimi seemed to just naturally slip into the right groove on that, giving decent input about how the car felt while not really putting a foot wrong, so he looks like the real deal.”

Mercedes will be eager to retain Antonelli, not let the talented Italian slip away, and drive for another team on the grid. 

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was on the verge of joining the Mercedes junior program in 2014 but signed for the Red Bull Junior Team and Toro Rosso in Formula 1 in 2015. 

Antonelli has all the hallmarks of a top Formula 1 driver, with blistering speed and high professionalism.

The key for him will be to stay grounded and not get caught up in the attention surrounding his driving as he approaches Formula 1.