Guenther Steiner, former Haas team principal, has expressed his conviction that Kimi Antonelli will be Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Hamilton is set to leave the Silver Arrows at the end of this year to join Ferrari, leaving a seat alongside George Russell.
Steiner shared his thoughts on the Red Flag podcast, stating, "I think the Mercedes [signing] will be Kimi Antonelli." He added that a conversation with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff hinted at the decision. "He said he takes all his time to decide but if you take your time that means that you know what you’re doing, or you have an agreement," Steiner explained.
Antonelli, currently seventh in the Formula 2 standings, has won recent races at Silverstone and Budapest. The 17-year-old Italian has been associated with Mercedes for some time, and Wolff has previously indicated Antonelli is part of the team's future, saying, "Kimi Antonelli definitely plays a part in that."
Other drivers linked to the Mercedes seat include Carlos Sainz, who has instead opted to join Williams, and Max Verstappen, though Verstappen remains with Red Bull. Steiner believes Sainz will end up at Alpine, ruling out a move to Mercedes or Red Bull at this stage.
