Hamilton champions youth, picks Antonelli to fill Mercedes seat

Lewis Hamilton has come down on the side of youth when considering who Mercedes should slot in as his replacement from 2025, the seven-time world champion giving a thumbs up to Andrea Kimi Antonelli as his successor at the Silver Arrows outfit.

Hamilton’s unexpected decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the season and switch his allegiance to Ferrari has left the German outfit with a coveted seat to fill.

And the speculation regarding who will inherit the plum drive has been swirling since the day of the Briton’s bombshell announcement.

Mercedes team ptincipal Toto Wolff has publicly expressed his interest in signing Max Verstappen. However, the Dutch driver has indicated his desire to stay with his current team, Red Bull Racing.

With Fernando Alonso off the market due to his contract extension with Aston Martin, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and the Antonelli have emerged as the leading candidates to fill the upcoming vacancy at Mercedes.

• Read also: Hamilton admits to ‘strange transition moment’ in F1

Antonelli, a 17-year-old racing prodigy who has been a member of Mercedes' junior programme since the young age of 11, is currently in his debut season in Formula 2.

But the teenager has also been participating in an intensive F1 testing and evaluation programme with the Brackley squad, preparing him for a potential promotion to motorsport’s elite.

On Thursday at Imola, Hamilton was asked about the ideal replacement for his soon-to-be former team.

“Carlos is a great driver so I think wherever he goes I think he would be a positive for any team,” the 39-year-old said when queried on the outgoing Ferrari driver’s prospects of joining Mercedes.

“Honestly I have no idea what Toto’s plans are but for me, taking on a youngster… If it was my job, if it was my role, I would probably take on Kimi.”

In Miami, rumors emerged that Antonelli was being considered as a replacement for Logan Sargeant at Williams for this weekend’s roung of racing at Imola, but Wolff quickly shut down the speculation.

The Austrian also emphasized the importance of a cautious approach to Antonelli's development, acknowledging the potential risks of promoting him to Formula 1 too soon.

One scenario that is reportedly being contemplated by Mercedes is placing Antonelli at Williams in 2025, where he would serve a one or two-year apprenticeship before a return to the mothership.

As for Sainz, the Spaniard said on Thursday that he had nothing new to report regarding his plans for the future.

“Don't worry, when I have them, you'll know," he said, acknowledging that it may take some time.

"I think so. It's not moving too quick."

While it’s an open secret that Sainz has received a concrete offer from Audi-Sauber, the three-time Grand Prix winner is likely more interested in a seat at Mercedes, providing any agreement surpasses a one-year deal, or with Red Bull.

For now, it’s a waiting game for Sainz and his fans.

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