Hamilton’s Mercedes exit brings an end to a highly successful 12-season partnership with the team, with his replacement having huge shoes to fill after the Brit scooped six drivers’ championships and helped claim eight constructors’ titles between 2013 and 2024.
And, rather than opting for an experienced race-winner to replace him, Mercedes have elected to put young up-and-coming star Antonelli in the car alongside George Russell next campaign.
Whilst Antonelli has been tipped to do great things in the sport, he has already shown at times this season that the pressure of stepping in to replace Hamilton may not be easy to cope with.
At the Italian Grand Prix, for example, just moments into his first official F1 session in FP1, Antonelli lost control of the Mercedes, crashing into the barriers at Parabolica and bringing out a red flag to mark a disastrous debut outing.
Now, Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has added to that pressure, labeling Mercedes’ decision to sign the Italian as a ‘risk’.
Marko later added: “If he skillfully implements his clearly existing strengths and speed and builds himself up slowly, then he can become a threat,”
“If he tries to force it, then I think his career is also in danger somewhere.”
