Mercedes explain 'perfect' line-up as post-Hamilton era beckons

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has hailed his 2025 driver line-up as "perfect" as the post-Lewis Hamilton era draws closer.

One of F1's worst-kept secrets has finally been revealed, with Mercedes confirming 18-year-old wonderkid Andrea Kimi Antonelli will partner George Russell next season.

After it was announced at the start of February that seven-time F1 champion Hamilton would leave Mercedes after 12 seasons to join Ferrari next year, the speculation surrounding his replacement has been constant.

Mercedes junior Antonelli has been consistently in the running, and after seven months of conjecture, the Italian can now look forward to stepping into the Briton's shoes, despite an inauspicious start on Friday when he crashed after just 10 minutes of his first official outing in practice ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Wolff has no doubt, however, that Antonelli will form a formidable partnership with George Russell next year.

"Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed," said Wolff.

"We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team, both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership.

"Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent."

Wolff feels Antonelli has the ideal mentor in Russell to learn from, with the latter in the third season of his partnership with Hamilton.

"George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world," insisted Wolff. "He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team.

"Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport.

"We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process.

"In George, he has an experienced team-mate from which he can learn and hone his craft.

"I am confident that both will contribute greatly as we continue to build momentum and fight at the front of the field."