Toto Wolff Confirmed....as Mercedes plan Lewis Hamilton...

Toto Wolff Confirmed….as Mercedes plan Lewis Hamilton… Read More

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will get his first opportunity to drive in a Formula 1 session during the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The 18-year-old Italian will replace Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes W14 for the first practice session (FP1), marking an important milestone in his career.

Antonelli has been part of Mercedes’ driver development program since he was just 11 years old, and Wolff expressed his pride in the young driver’s progress. “We’re going to do FP1 with Kimi in Monza, which is going to be a really emotional moment,” Wolff stated after the Dutch Grand Prix. “We’ve followed him since he was a baby, a go-kart driver, and a Mercedes kid, so to see him drive out on Friday in FP1 at Monza, in front of the Tifosi, will be something that everybody in Italy can be very proud of. And then we take it from there.”

This will be Antonelli’s first experience driving an up-to-date Formula 1 car in a Grand Prix weekend, and it is a significant step in his journey towards a full-time seat in the sport. Antonelli is currently racing in Formula 2, and his potential rise through the ranks has generated considerable excitement, with many seeing him as a future star of the sport.

Rumors have been circulating for some time that Mercedes is planning to have Antonelli replace Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time world champion leaves the team at the end of the 2024 season. These rumors have been further fueled by Hamilton’s widely speculated move to Ferrari, though this has not yet been officially confirmed. Wolff, however, hinted at Mercedes’ succession plan during a conversation with Dutch media over the weekend when he mentioned, “I want it to work with George [Russell] and Kimi.”

This comment has led to increased speculation that Antonelli is indeed being groomed as Hamilton’s successor at Mercedes. The possibility of seeing the young Italian driving alongside Russell in the near future is an exciting prospect for many fans.

However, Wolff has been careful not to disclose too many details about the long-term future of the team’s driver lineup. For now, the focus is on giving Antonelli the necessary experience and preparation for what could be a bright future in Formula 1.

In the short term, there has also been speculation about how Antonelli’s career might progress for the remainder of the current season. While he is currently competing in Formula 2, rumors have linked him to a potential move to Williams, Mercedes’ customer team, before the end of the year. Williams driver Logan Sargeant has struggled this season and recently suffered a costly crash at the Dutch Grand Prix, leading to speculation that the American driver could lose his seat sooner rather than later.

Williams has already confirmed the signing of Carlos Sainz to replace Sargeant at the end of the season, but there is now talk that the team might consider bringing in a replacement earlier. This has led to suggestions that Antonelli could be given the chance to gain some Formula 1 experience by stepping into the Williams seat for the final races of the season.

Despite these rumors, Wolff has dismissed the idea of disrupting Antonelli’s current development program. “Between [Williams chief] James Vowles and myself, we have super transparent discussions and a great relationship,” Wolff explained. “James was part of developing Kimi and finding Kimi, so I think what’s best for him is to continue the program as we have designed it, with the testing and Formula 2, and see how that goes rather than disrupting our plan and giving him the opportunity in a Williams. That’s the decision that we have taken.”

For now, Antonelli’s focus will remain on his current Formula 2 campaign and the upcoming opportunity to drive in FP1 at Monza. The young Italian is seen as one of the brightest talents in motorsport, and his performance in Italy will be closely watched as he takes another important step toward what many expect to be a successful Formula 1 career.