Formula 1 may have found the next Lewis Hamilton as £1.5m machine joins the 2025 grid

Follow us on Google Discover

Formula 1 will see six new full-time rookies take to the track during the 2025 across five teams.

A couple have already made their F1 debut in 2024 carrying out their duties as reserve drivers, with Oliver Bearman doing so for both Ferrari and Haas.

Jack Doohan also made an early debut for Alpine in Abu Dhabi, although the Australian is under pressure to perform in the first races of 2025 since the team signed Franco Colapinto to their reserve driver roster.

One of the most anticipated debuts will be from 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has already impressed during F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Antonelli has admitted that he still needs to get on top of the Pirelli tyres, but his times during the race runs on the second day were close to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

His former team principal at Prema, Rene Rosin, has explained why he thinks Antonelli will be the next Lewis Hamilton when speaking to the New York Times.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s former boss lists traits that will make him a champion

Antonelli spent much of his time in junior formulas racing for the Italian team Prema, winning the Italian F4 championship with them before making the step up to Formula 2.

Rosin says Antonelli, who is on a £1.5 million contract with Mercedes, was a ‘machine’ when he raced for the team and believes he has all of the attributes to be a world champion in Formula 1.

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

“Since the beginning, he was immediately fast,” said Rosin. “There were some rookie mistakes, it’s normal, but when he arrived in F4 in the full season he was absolutely a machine.

“He likes to be close to people and interact with people, he’s very professional, he knows what he wants to do, he wants to win, he wants to achieve the maximum possible, and when the results are not coming he’s upset with himself and always tries in a positive way to improve, it’s very much a good mentality.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli part of ‘elite group of drivers’ according to Rene Rosin

Several of the current grid also passed through Prema, including Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly on their way to F1.

Rosin believes Antonelli is part of the ‘elite group’ of drivers who came through the ranks, which he will demonstrate in his first season.

“Basically, both drivers last year that we had, and Pierre, Charles, Oscar, all of them, they are all drivers that deserve to be in F1 and will demonstrate what being a good driver means,” said Rosin.

“I think he [Antonelli] is part of this elite group of drivers that they are there because they deserve it.”

Antonelli has stated that he intends to learn from George Russell in his first season, who is expected to take on the role of lead driver at Mercedes this season given the Italian’s rookie status.