17-Year-Old Mercedes Prodigy Hailed as Ideal Lewis Hamilton Replacement after $127,000,000 Deal Expires in 2025

After months and months of deliberation, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton fans felt the relief of knowing their champion would be with the circus for a couple more years. Before the Brit confirmed his extension, there was a cloud of uncertainty over his future. Although, $127 million and months of negotiations later, we know Hamilton will race for Mercedes till at least 2025. However, this contract extension is just delaying the inevitable as the 38-year-old cannot race forever. Now, only a week later, we have word on the potential replacement for Hamilton.

Mercedes cannot rely on Hamilton forever and, thinking about the future, the German team might have a replacement in Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The young F4 champion, according to journalist Joe Saward, as reported by Formula Passion, will race in F2 from the 2024 season onwards. With the new F2 chassis introduced by the FIA, the 17-year-old prodigy will be well-placed to take the baton from Hamilton.

In his blog, Saward wrote, “The really interesting news of the weekend Monza is that Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the young 17-year-old Mercedes driver, will move directly into Formula 2 next year, skipping F3. A move that will position him as the prime candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2026. Maybe in 2026, the Italian fans will have someone else to support besides Ferrari”.

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However, let’s not look ahead as Hamilton and Co. have plenty on their agenda before the 2026 season. At least this is what the Brit communicated in his statement after the contract extension.

Lewis Hamilton made a bold statement of intent soon after his mega contract extension

Ever since the start of the 2022 season, the Mercedes challenger has been in shambles. The W13 was possibly the worst piece of machinery the team back in Brackley ever manufactured. However, that is in the past, as the team is progressing thanks to Hamilton’s incessant complaints, and now there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

With the steady progress and the desire to win the elusive eighth championship, there is a lot of hunger in Hamilton. His statement after the contract extension expressed exactly that.

“We have never been hungrier to win. We have learnt from every success but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn’t finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won’t stop until we do,” said Hamilton.

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We are not sure if it will come before the 2025 season, but there is a lot of desire in Hamilton to fight for another title. Perhaps by the final year of his contract, he will have the tools to do so.