"Kimi's ready": When Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Kimi Antonelli he was replacing Lewis Hamilton

Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this season. He will be driving alongside George Russell, the team's senior driver.

Antonelli has been associated with the team for a while now. Last year, the Italian was racing in his debut Formula 2 season when speculations of his move to Mercedes began spreading in the paddock. During the Italian Grand Prix, he ran a practice session with the team as part of the rookie program. Shortly after, the team announced he would drive for them in the 2025 F1 season.

A recent clip from Netflix's Drive to Survive's latest season showcases the exact moment Toto Wolf broke the news to Kimi Antonelli.

"Kimi's ready," Wolff says in the clip.

Further in the clip, Antonelli is seen on a call with Toto Wolff and other Mercedes officials, where Wolff breaks the news to him.

“We organized this call to break the news that you are a Mercedes Formula 1 driver next year," Toto Wolff said on the call to Antonelli.

This was understandably huge news for Kimi Antonelli. His brilliant driving skills saw him skip Formula 3 and move to Formula 2, shortly signing with Mercedes long before the season ended.

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Kimi Antonelli prepares for "big responsibility" at Mercedes

The 18-year-old will be the youngest driver on the grid despite many rookies joining Formula 1 this season. Replacing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is understandably a huge chance for Kimi Antonelli but also a "big responsibility" as he recently mentioned.

"I don't feel like his replacement," Antonelli said (via BBC Sport). "I just feel like a Mercedes F1 driver."

"But it's such a great opportunity. I am really grateful for the trust and opportunity Mercedes gave me. But at the same time, it is a big responsibility as well, because I am racing for Mercedes, top team, and so they've got some expectations as well, of course. I am just going to try to make the best out of this."

Kimi Antonelli will join forces with George Russell to maintain the team's competitive performance. Mercedes won four races in the 2024 season to end their winless spell the prior season. Despite those wins, they finished the season in third place in the Constructors' Championship given their rivals' performances.

Heading into 2025, Mercedes is expected to carry forward the momentum. However, the experience is a concern. Although George Russell has a fair amount of experience in Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli is too young. But the team might be able to take advantage of his extremely competitive performance.