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KIMI ANTONELLI is on the verge of being confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes.
He will drive for the team in Friday’s practice session at the Italian Grand Prix — just five days after turning 18.
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Antonelli gets the nod to succeed Ferrari-bound Hamilton after team boss Toto Wolff gave up on his efforts to entice Max Verstappen away from Red Bull.
It was Wolff’s failure to land teenager Verstappen at Mercedes a decade ago that made him fast-track Antonelli into the team for next season.
At 17, Verstappen was the rising star but Wolff already had Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and could not offer him a race seat for 2015.
Wolff said: “Qualifying with Kimi in Monza will be emotional because we have followed him since he was 11.
“Having an Italian kid in a competitive car, everybody in Italy can be proud.”
Antonelli has been part of the Mercedes junior team for five years.
And he began karting at the age of just seven.
That peaked with winning the CIK-FIA Karting European Champion in both 2020 and 2021.
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Antonelli then made his debut in single-seaters for Prema Racing in the Italian F4 Championship only three weeks after turning 15.
And despite his youth, he’s already won a bonnet-full of trophies.
That includes F4 crowns as well as the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship.
Antonelli is also currently contesting the Formula 2 Championship for Prema.
Wolff has said of him: “Since working together, Kimi has ticked all the boxes.
“But not only that, I really like him as a boy, and as a personality, and he has a fantastic family environment around him that helps him always keep his feet on the ground.
“He has a great talent and can count on the important values that come from his family.”
Inside track on Hamilton’s life
LEWIS HAMILTON has driven his way into pole position as Formula One’s most prolific winner.
