George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are poised to form an exciting Formula 1 partnership at Mercedes in 2025.
The Lewis Hamilton era at Mercedes is over and it’s arguably up to Russell to lead the Silver Arrows new age.
Russell was arguably the outstanding candidate at Mercedes last year amid Hamilton’s qualifying troubles which came amid the Three Pointed Star’s difficulties with the W15 machine.
A narrow operating window hindered Mercedes’ progress in 2024 and the team finished fourth in the Constructors’ standings with 468 points, 121 behind third-placed Red Bull and 198 behind champions McLaren.
With the last year of the rule cycle looming it’s up to Mercedes’ technical team to deliver a stronger overall package.
Mercedes’ drivers meanwhile, are a potent combination that Team Principal Toto Wolff has referred to as a combination of “experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed”.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli’s F1 free practice debut was brief but polarising.
A P1 lap-time followed by a red-flag triggering crash at Monza.
Still, there’s a reason why Mercedes opted for the 18-year-old and why he was able to bypass Formula 3 to contest Formula 2 last year with race-winning success at the troubled Prema outfit.
His raw speed will end finessing, and 1000s of testing miles in old-spec Mercedes F1 machines will give Antonelli a strong foundation to build upon.
Now he has to live up to the hype.
Speaking after signing his F1 contract, Antonelli said: “I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team.
“I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for.
“He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.”
George Russell
Russell out-qualified Hamilton 19 to five in 2024 and finished 22 points ahead of him in the final Drivers’ standings.
Last year was arguably Russell’s strongest season to date and his faultless victory at Las Vegas proved it.
Whenever Mercedes’ polarising car had pace to fight at the front, Russell was able to deliver and with Hamilton departing to Ferrari, it’s up to him to continue leading the charge at the Silver Arrows.
“I feel really pleased with my own personal performance this year,” Russell told media including Motorsport Week last December.
“I think in qualifying I’ve been performing better than ever. Whenever the car has had a chance of being on pole, we’ve been on pole. Whenever we’ve had a chance of fighting for the victory, especially since Canada [where Russell went from P1 to P3], I think that was the only race that went amiss, we’ve been in that position to take it.
“That gives me confidence.
“If we build a car that is capable of fighting for a championship, we’ll be there to achieve it.”
READ MORE – George Russell warned Kimi Antonelli ‘can be a danger’ at Mercedes in F1 2025
