sport news Meet the 17-year-old prodigy who could replace seven-time World Champion Lewis ... trends now
Mercedes were thrown a complete curveball at the start of this year's Formula One calendar when seven time World Champion Lewis Hamilton announced he would be leaving for Ferrari in 2025.
Since then, rumours have been swirling about who Mercedes may opt to bring in to fill such big boots.
Whilst many have put Lando Norris, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz as the front-runners to fill the gap left by Sir Lewis Hamilton.
There is one person flying under the radar who may nip the seat from all of those veteran drivers.
The man in question is Mercedes' 17-year-old protege who currently drives alongside Ferrari's own wonder kid Oliver Bearman with the Formula 2 team Prema.
The F1 World was left shocked earlier this year when Lewis Hamilton announced he would be leaving Mercedes after 11 years for Ferrari
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed Andrea Kimi Antonelli will test Mercedes' 2021 car later this month
The 17-year-old in question is Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who currently races for Italian motorsport outfit Prema Racing in Formula Two alongside Oliver Bearman - who made his Formula One debut in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix last month as he replaced Carlos Sainz at Ferrari after the Spaniard underwent emergency surgery.
Antonelli is set to be handed his first experience in an Formula One car later this month as Mercedes look to prepare the the young Italian driver for a potential seat next year.
'We want to give him the feeling of what a really good car looks like. And then we are going to put him in the 2022 car to see what the difference is,' Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told F1 TV at the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday.
'Mercedes claimed the constructors’ title with the F1 W12, while its successor only won one grand prix and the team slipped to third in the constructors’ standings.
'I’m really keen and happy to see [Antonelli] in a F1 car. He’s been with us since he was 11.
'I have a picture of him standing next to me on the center console as a baby boy in go karting and now to witness that development into a F1 driver is something that I’m really proud of.”
Antonelli will drive the Mercedes W12 - which Lewis Hamilton drove during the 2021 season where he infamously lost the chance to claim his 8th World Championship to Max Verstappen.
The two-day test will take place in Imola on April 16 and 17, with the teenager the looking to acclimatise himself to a F1 car as he aims to impress Mercedes and potentially earn Hamilton's seat next year.
Here, Mail Sport dives into the latest motorsport prodigy.
Antonelli has been linked with filling Hamilton's Mercedes seat in 2025,
