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The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team has signed a multi-year contract with sports apparel brand Adidas ahead of the 2025 F1 season. The Brackley-based outfit cut ties with PUMA to allow Adidas' entry into the world of motorsports.
The Silver Arrows will be witnessing a lot of changes in the setup for the year 2025. Firstly, Lewis Hamilton has left the squad to join rival team Scuderia Ferrari from this year. Though it must have come as a shocker to the team, Toto Wolff and Co. embraced the seven-time world champion's decision gracefully and bid him an emotional farewell.
At the start of the new year, the Brackley-based team is getting ready for a fresh change starting with Andrea Kimi Antonelli's induction. Before the car launch event takes place, the team announced a major overhaul in sponsorship deals.
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On January 7, 2025, Mercedes announced a multi-year deal with Adidas. The sports apparel brand, which is making its debut in F1, will design the drivers, engineers, and mechanics' kit for the next few years.
Wolff and Co. previously had a 12-year partnership with PUMA before Tommy Hilfiger joined hands with Lewis Hamilton. However, from 2025, the logos will change on the Silver Arrows' kit.
In an official statement, team principal Toto Wolff said:
"Our partnership with adidas is a clear statement of intent as we begin to write our next chapter as a team. Adidas is an iconic brand, one that shares our dedication not only to peak performance but to style and sophistication too. This announcement therefore represents a groundbreaking collaboration that will redefine what team and fanwear means in our sport."
The Brackley-based outfit is entering a groundbreaking year with a new drivers' lineup. Lewis Hamilton has left the team after 11 strong years. With Kimi Antonelli lacking experience, it could be tough for the team to sustain the pressure and competition from the rivals.
Kimi Antonelli to script history on debut with Mercedes
In the last decade, Mercedes has enjoyed a dominant era with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. However, the latter's abrupt move to Ferrari prompted the Silver Arrows to promote rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli as his replacement. Kimi is 18 years old with marginal experience in F2.
He is set to make his race debut in F1 with the Silver Arrows at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. According to Racingnews365, Antonelli will be the first rookie to drive for Mercedes since 1954. Karl Kling was the last rookie to feature with the team at the 1954 German Grand Prix.
Overall, expectations from Kimi Antonelli are already high given his talent and raw pace. However, the world of F1 will throw different challenges, and the 18-year-old might need to adapt quickly to sustain the pressure.
