Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli backed to win F1 seat in 2025

At just 17 years old, Antonelli has rapidly climbed the ranks, securing a highly sought-after position in the F2 series for the upcoming season, joining forces with the esteemed Prema Racing team.

Since becoming a part of Mercedes' junior roster back in 2019, Antonelli has consistently attracted attention as an outstanding talent, often being hailed as a potential successor to the legendary Hamilton.

Despite Hamilton's contractual commitment until the conclusion of the 2025 season, the young Italian sensation has emerged as a compelling candidate for an F1 seat. 

Speculations abound regarding a potential alignment with one of Mercedes' customer teams, which would mark a significant milestone in Antonelli's budding career.

"So highly-rated is the 17-year-old, he’s skipping F3 and heading straight for F2 this year, debuting in the series with Prema alongside [Ollie] Bearman," Lawrence Barretto wrote for F1.com.

"Deliver the kind of rampant success he has shown so far and he could yet be a contender for a seat next year.

"While there would be no room for him at Mercedes, Toto Wolff could perhaps look to place him at another team to build up his experience."

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