EXCLUSIVE: ‘No one can ever replace Lewis’ – Antonelli on stepping into Hamilton’s shoes and his rapid rise to F1 stardom

Kimi Antonelli is one of the smartest, most mature and personable 18-year-olds you will ever meet.

The Italian was naturally on the crest of a wave when he bounced into a meeting room (which we morphed into a temporary studio) in Mercedes’ hospitality unit at Monza for our exclusive chat just an hour after it was announced that he would be making his F1 debut with Mercedes in 2025.

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Despite having done very little media, at least at the intensity that he’ll face as a Formula 1 driver, Antonelli spoke as if he’d been doing it for years.

“It’s an amazing feeling, obviously it’s a dream coming true,” he said of his promotion to Formula 1 – his enthusiasm for the opportunity to race in F1 infectious. “It’s something I’ve dreamed off since a young age. It still doesn’t feel real to be honest. I think I will probably realise once I exit the pit in FP1 next season [at the season opener in Australia].

“I’m super happy, I want to thank massively Mercedes and all the people who made it possible and of course also my family because they’ve been so important for me, and such a big part in my journey. I can’t wait to get started.”

Chatter about Antonelli getting a shot at the big time has been building since the moment seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, earlier this year, told boss Toto Wolff that he was heading to Ferrari for 2025.

The team were keen not to heap pressure on the Italian especially as he hadn’t even started his maiden F2 campaign. They assessed their options, including Carlos Sainz, whose seat Hamilton was taking, and Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen – while also building a testing programme in F1 machinery for Antonelli to start getting him up to speed.

Then just before the summer break, Mercedes pulled the trigger on the move for Antonelli. “I had a call with Toto, Bono [Pete Bonington, Head of Race Engineering] and [technical chief] James Allison,” the Italian said.

“Once I got on the call [and saw them all], I thought ‘oh, something big must be coming!’ Eventually, they told me I would become an F1 driver. It was such a great feeling.”

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'I could feel a little bit the pressure building up'

When the 18-year-old pulls away from the start-line in Melbourne, it’ll mark around two years from when he debuted in the Formula Regional European Championship [FRECA]. That’s a rapid rise through the ranks – something that is not lost on Antonelli.

“I’m not going to lie, it was really fast,” he said. “Already jumping from Freca to F2 was a really big step. I think I managed pretty well thanks to Mercedes and all the people around me, including PREMA. They have been helping me to not feel the step.”

That kind of progress draws attention, in the way Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen did when they whizzed through the single-seater ladder. Verstappen did just 47 races, Raikkonen 23.

Antonelli, has a fair bit more – but his step up from FRECA to F2 and now F1 is still a remarkable achievement. However, Antonelli admits he did feel a little pressure, so quick did his star rise.

“Already with the jump into F2, there was straight away a lot more talking [about me],” he said. “And then with these rumours [of a step up to F1 next year], the talking increased quite a bit.

“I’m not going to lie, I could feel a little bit the pressure building up. After the first win in F2, I was able to release all this pressure.

“Also I didn’t mind the talking any more, I was just trying to focus as much as possible on F2. Finally the announcement arrived and all these rumours have gone and it’s a nice feeling.”

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That Antonelli seems unfazed by the ever-increasing interest in him is mindboggling. Our chat happens less than 24 hours after he crashed on his FP1 debut on what was only his second push lap. But you wouldn’t know it.

Brilliantly, he has reviewed it, learned from it and now compartmentalised it. He has no regrets and his belief in his ability remains rock solid.

When I put it to him that he doesn’t seem to get fazed by any of it, he replied: “If you would ask me this question a few years ago, I maybe wouldn’t say the same but this year, I’ve been developing a lot as a person and I’ve done a lot of training with Mercedes,” he said.

“Recently, I’ve had some mental coaches, just to talk a little bit about post-race weekends and before race weekends – and also how to manage this pressure.

“Sometimes [my dad] is very strict with me but it’s good. Sometimes I feel like I really need it.

“The person I became today, is also thanks to all these people that really helps me to develop myself and to become the driver and person I am today.”

WATCH: Wolff praises young talent Antonelli as the 'long-term future' of Mercedes

'Mercedes are a second family for me'

Mercedes’ junior programme has gone from strength to strength – with Antonelli the fourth driver to move into a Formula 1 race seat after Pascal Wehrlein, Esteban Ocon and George Russell. Headed up by Gwen Lagrue, the programme has honed their processes for bringing through young drivers – and it is testament to its robustness that Antonelli is ready to debut in F1 so soon.

“I would say already Mercedes are a second family for me,” said Antonelli. “I’ve been with them since 2018, so since I was 12 – a very long time. I’m super happy. I have a good relationship with Toto – but also with the whole team. It’s just great to be with them.

“They have been helping me so much – since a very young age, especially when I moved to single-seaters. They have always been trying to protect me and help me, especially in the difficult moments.

“So, I’m glad to be with them and hopefully we can have a good future together.”

'No one can ever replace Lewis'

Antonelli has big shoes to fill as he’ll be replacing Lewis Hamilton, who has won six drivers’ championships and eight world titles with Mercedes during their 12 years together. Antonelli has known the Briton for a while now, having met him on a few occasions as a kid, including the 2018 Italian Grand Prix.

“It was 2018, I was a grid boy,” he said when I show him a picture of the two on the grid pre-race. “It was crazy because they assigned me Lewis Hamilton. I was already super excited for it.

“Just before this moment, they just finished singing the national anthem and as Lewis was heading back to the car I remember calling him and saying – ‘remember, you’re the best, you can win this’ as it was a tight battle with Ferrari.

“I remember telling him that and eventually he won the race. It was a great feeling to be able to give him a high five just before the race.”

READ MORE: ‘I’m not very good’ – Hamilton ‘furious’ with himself as he claims he should have taken pole for Italian GP

So how does he feel about stepping into Hamilton’s shoes?

“I have to be honest, no one can ever replace Lewis because he’s such a great driver, such a great figure in the sport,” said Antonelli.

“He’s been helpful. Before my FP1, he came to me, gave me a high five and told me to enjoy as much as possible.

“During weekends, sometimes we catch up, talk a bit about how the session goes and sometimes he gives me advice – like to keep working hard and believe in yourself because your time will come.

“He’s such a great guy – and I’m really thankful to have built a relationship with him. He’s such a great driver and super nice as well.”

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For now, Antonelli has an F2 campaign to focus on – dovetailing that with more private testing in 2022-spec Mercedes F1 machinery. But when he turns his attention to next year, what are the 18-year-old’s targets?

“For next year, I don’t expect so much from myself,” he said. “I will just try to make the least amount of mistakes and try to get the best result for the team and myself.

“The goal of course is always to win but it won’t be easy. We’re on the grid with the 20 best drivers. It’s going to be tough.

“With Mercedes, they are like a second family – they have been trying to advise me and try to make me feel the pressure a bit less. I’m super excited, I’ll try to do the best job as possible.”