Will he be Hamilton's heir?

Mercedes ‘prodigy’ soon to test in Austria

Can Kimi Antonelli replace Lewis Hamilton next year?(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The 17-year-old Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli has a realistic chance of succeeding Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The "child prodigy" will therefore be allowed to complete his first Formula 1 test at the Red Bull Ring at the end of April. 

Mercedes has planned a two-day test in Austria at the end of April. Antonelli will test the Mercedes W12 from the 2021 season. Further test drives are also planned in the coming months to prepare the 17-year-old for a possible promotion to the premier class.

It is expected that Mercedes will also make the W13 from the 2022 season available to him in the future. The car is much closer to the current model. 

What happens next?
The "prodigy" is currently racing in Formula 2, but the big successes have yet to materialize. Nevertheless, there is no doubt about the Italian's potential. That is why he is considered a realistic successor to Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving Mercedes at the end of the year to join Ferrari. 

Andrea Kimi Antonelli(Bild: Facebook)

However, it is also possible that they want to build up the talent slowly and therefore give him another year in Formula 2 or with a Mercedes customer team. "There are a few options that are really interesting for us - from a very young super talent to one of the others who are very experienced," explained Team Principal Toto Wolff recently with regard to Hamilton's successor.