Mercedes AMG Petronas

With Lewis Hamilton set to race for Ferrari in 2025, Mercedes has announced Kimi Antonelli will join the Mercedes F1 team starting next season.

The 18-year-old Antonelli was confirmed to be racing with George Russell as part of the Mercedes driver lineup on Saturday.

Ciao from Monza! A message from Kimi and George 😃 pic.twitter.com/l9r4e4J8zX

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) August 31, 2024

Team Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff issued a statement about the addition of Antonelli to the roster:

"George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. 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.

Hamilton has been the face of Mercedes since joining the team in 2013 after spending the first five years of his career racing for McLaren. The seven-time F1 champion pulled off a surprise move in February when Ferrari announced he signed a multiyear deal.

The move came after Hamilton signed a two-year extension with Mercedes in August 2023, but the team later confirmed he activated an opt-out clause in the deal to become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Hamilton will be teammates with Charles Leclerc, who signed an extension in January, under the Ferrari umbrella.

Antonelli, who just turned 18 on Aug. 25, joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2019. He got his first run during Grand Prix weekend on Friday with Russell's car during the first practice session on the Monza Circuit in Italy.

It was an inauspicious debut with Antonelli spinning out and crashing into the barrier after five laps. He did receive precautionary medical attention, but was uninjured following the incident.

Since turning pro as a 15-year-old in 2021, Antonelli has won 37 races across various circuits. He won the 2022 Italian F4 Championship with 13 victories in 20 starts.

Antonelli is currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. He's seventh in the point standings with wins at the Silverstone sprint race and Budapest free race.

The first F1 race for Antonelli as part of the Mercedes team will be at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16, 2025.

Lewis Hamilton is upset at Mercedes after his Formula One team refused to make changes he recommended after a rough 2022 season.

"It's about owning up and saying, 'Yeah, you know what? We didn't listen to you. It's not where it needs to be and we've got to work'," Hamilton said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Chequered Flag podcast (via Andrew Benson of BBC Sport).

As Benson noted, most teams have followed the designs pioneered by Red Bull heading into the 2023 season, while Mercedes will stick with its own "zero-sidepod" concept.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff already admitted this was a mistake after qualifying for the first race of the season, planning changes with his engineers.

Red Bull Racing cruised to a team victory last year behind champion Max Verstappen, who won 15 of 22 races. Mercedes fell to third behind Ferrari, with Hamilton falling to sixth place in the final standings. The British driver had won the championship in six of the previous eight years, never finishing lower than second.

It was Hamilton's first season in Formula One where he didn't win a single race.

The 38-year-old said he told Mercedes about the problems a year ago.

"Last year, there were things I told them. I said the issues that are with the car," Hamilton said. "I've driven so many cars in my life. I know what a car needs. I know what a car doesn't need. I think it's really about accountability."

Hamilton finished in fifth place in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, with teammate George Russell finishing in seventh.

Lewis Hamilton downplayed any uncertainty surrounding his future with Mercedes beyond the 2023 Formula One season.

Hamilton said the discourse is "ultimately people creating rumors without facts," per The Athletic's Luke Smith.

"So there is no hold up with our contract," he said. "I've always been very, very relaxed. I don't feel like I've got to get it done right this second. I'm in a very fortunate position. It'll get done when we're ready."

The seven-time world champion signed a new two-year contract with Mercedes in 2021, which carries him through the 2023 campaign. His performance since then has led many to question whether he might seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Hamilton first joined the Mercedes team in 2013 and in 2014 started a run of six titles in seven years. He nearly made it seven in eight in 2021, but lost out to Max Verstappen in the final race of the season.

The 38-year-old proceeded to endure his worst-ever Formula One season in 2022 as he finished sixth, failing to win a race in a season for the first time in his career.

As the proverb goes, a bad workman always blames his tools. In Hamilton's case, though, his team did him few favors by delivering a car that simply wasn't good enough after F1 instituted new technical regulations.

When it comes to Hamilton's contract, the situation will probably resolve itself if he goes out and wins a record-setting eighth title or at the very least returns to contender status. Should Mercedes once again struggle to provide him with what he needs to excel on the track, he might have no choice but to seriously consider all of his options.

Formula One Racing team Mercedes-AMG Petronas announced Friday that it has suspended its partnership with crypto exchange FTX.

According to TMZ Sports, the team said it will remove the FTX logo from its cars after the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy this week.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas is led by seven-time F1 points champion Lewis Hamilton, making him one of several high-profile athletes to be impacted by FTX bottoming out.

TMZ Sports noted that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Angels pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and tennis star Naomi Osaka all have involvement with FTX.

Also, the NBA's Miami Heat renamed their home venue FTX Arena next year, although that partnership is likely now in danger.

FTX reportedly filed for bankruptcy since it was insolvent and unable to pay out its customers, despite recently being worth $30 billion and claiming this week that it was "100 percent liquid."

The decision to remove the FTX logo from its cars was an about-face for Mercedes-AMG Petronas since Jonathan Noble of Motorsport.com reported Thursday that the team had decided to stick with the decals for this weekend's race.

Instead, Hamilton and teammate George Russell will be without FTX advertising on their cars for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton was not happy with his Mercedes team after finishing fourth at the Dutch Grand Prix:

Lewis is FUMING with Mercedes 😳 pic.twitter.com/ot9zqNEmFn

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) September 4, 2022

📻 Hamilton: "That was the biggest **** up"#F1 #DutchGP #Motorsport

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) September 4, 2022

The radio calls came after Hamilton saw his late lead quickly evaporate as Max Verstappen pulled away for his fourth Formula One win in a row.

Hamilton and teammate George Russell had the top two spots in Sunday's race after a yellow flag, but Russell chose to pit while Hamilton stayed out. It left no barrier between Verstappen and Hamilton at the restart, and the two switched positions within seconds.

Hamilton couldn't keep up on the older tires and fell to fourth, while Russell earned a second-place finish.

In addition to the questionable strategy, Russell almost hit Hamilton in the final few laps before passing him:

LAP 64/72

Silver Arrows side by side...

Russell overtakes Hamilton and moves up to P2#DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/OHAtzmIBDG

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 4, 2022

Russell seemingly made the right call for himself, but it hurt his teammate:

Lewis Hamilton has every right to be pissed at Mercedes. If the team wanted to win, anyway. Certainly the decision was good for Russell, but not for the team as a whole. Resulted in an easy Max dub.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 4, 2022

It continues a disappointing season for Hamilton, who is sixth in the driver standings without a single win this year.

The British star has seven world championships and hasn't finished lower than second in the final standings since 2013, but this season has been a different story. He only has six podiums in 15 races, while last week's Belgian Grand Prix ended after a collision with Fernando Alonso on the first lap.

With his Mercedes teammate now hurting his chance to get a win in the Dutch Grand Prix, the frustrations are seemingly boiling over for Hamilton.

Mercedes have confirmed that Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has agreed a new two-year contract with the team.

The team revealed the news on Twitter and with a follow-up statement on their official website:

#Announce... pic.twitter.com/kG9oXvJope

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 19, 2018

#HamiltonAnnounced 🖋️https://t.co/Ca1PTRy7j2 #F1 #AnnounceLewis

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 19, 2018

"It's good to put pen to paper, announce it and then get on with business as usual," said Hamilton after signing on until 2020 with the Silver Arrows, per Andrew Benson of BBC Sport. "I have been part of the Mercedes racing family for 20 years and I have never been happier inside a team than I am right now."

According to Benson, Hamilton's contract will be worth around £30 million a year, although that could rise to £40 million based on bonuses.

The 33-year-old posted the following message on Twitter in the aftermath of the announcement:

I have been in the Mercedes Family since 1998. I am forever grateful for their continued support, love and protection over these years. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and even more excited for the future!👊🏾 @MercedesAMGF1 #grateful #letsgo #announcelewis pic.twitter.com/sXo0UnKeIs

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 19, 2018

Since making his Formula One debut in 2007, Hamilton has been backed by Mercedes engines, as he started off with the McLaren team. He moved to Mercedes in 2013, with the team dominating in the turbo-hybrid-engine era since 2014.

Mercedes will be delighted to have Hamilton's future secured, as he remains one of the most talented drivers on the grid and is on his way to becoming one of the finest racers in the sport's history.

After winning the world title last season, Hamilton has now been crowned drivers' champion on four occasions in his distinguished career, leaving him level with Alain Prost and Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel. Only Michael Schumacher, seven, and Juan Manuel Fangio, five, have more championships than the Briton.

As noted by F1 journalist Will Buxton, Hamilton's new contract is the latest signed to expire in 2020, when significant regulation changes will come into the sport:

https://twitter.com/wbuxtonofficial/status/1019888895280939010

Per The Independent, tweaks will be made in aerodynamics with a view to the sport being more competitive, with only three teams winning races in the turbo-hybrid era.

Before then, Hamilton faces a real fight to win his fifth world title, as he trails Vettel by eight points in the race for the 2018 prize. The duo are set to resume their battle this weekend at the German Grand Prix, where Hamilton will be out to tame his rival in his team's own back yard.

Mercedes drove to a double success in Friday's Spanish Grand Prix practice after world champion Lewis Hamilton recorded the fastest time in the second session to follow up team-mate Valtteri Bottas' earlier success in FP1.

Hamilton edged Daniel Ricciardo with a top time of one minute and 18.259 seconds, and the latter's Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen completed the top finishers in third, just ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

Second practice ended early for Vettel's comrade, Kimi Raikkonen, however, after engine troubles put a stop to his day, but Ferrari may have saved their best for Saturday's qualifying sessions.

Red Bull's Ricciardo had a testing first practice session and lost control of his car after some oversteer to crash out. Vettel and Raikkonen were third and fourth for Ferrari, respectively, as Bottas topped the early-session times.

Read on for the latest from the Circuit de Cataluyna as the drivers prepare for what will be a crucial weekend in the 2018 season.

              

FP2 Recap

Bottas simmered in FP2 and failed to trouble the fastest contenders as he finished only sixth-fastest, but Hamilton picked up his performance to ensure the momentum remained in Mercedes' grasp heading into Saturday.

The official Formula 1 Twitter account provided a breakdown of the classification for Friday's second practice, where the reigning champion beat closest rival Ricciardo by little more than a tenth of a second:

FP2 CLASSIFICATION@LewisHamilton on top, with @redbullracing breathing down his neck

This could get interesting 👀#F1 🇪🇸 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/y0TkWzFVnq

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 11, 2018

Hamilton won his second Spanish Grand Prix in 2017 and will seek successive titles in Catalunya for the first time on Sunday, although there was suggestions that indecision over tyre choice may have impacted lap times.

The super softs in particular didn't work as well as expected, with Verstappen ending behind Ricciardo despite switching to that tyre earlier in practice.

After colliding with one another to end both their races at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Verstappen at least appear to be getting along again on and off the track:

Vettel has taken pole position ahead of the last three races this season but will need a considerable boost in output on Saturday if he's to make it four in a row.

The weekend is in a state of concern for Ferrari, too, based on Raikkonen's end to second practice after only 16 laps:

More bad news for Raikkonen

Engine off, he rolls back to the pits after an power unit issue 👀#F1 🇪🇸 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/i6u2pLoCP6

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 11, 2018

Haas driver Romain Grosjean spun off the track at one stage but recovered to finish seventh-fastest in Catalunya, while McLaren's Fernando Alonso tested the medium tyres and super softs before he ended in 12th.

It's difficult to gauge where the drivers sit in the power rankings after the conditions played their part in Friday's practice, but the stakes will be a lot higher as qualifying gets underway on Saturday. 

              

FP1 Recap

Here is a look at how the standings were shaping up after the early session on Friday:

The Mercedes pair lead the way in FP1 morning in Barcelona

As Kubica beats his teammate on his Grand Prix weekend return 💪#F1 🇪🇸 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/BsDVR0p12Q

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 11, 2018

Bottas had such bad luck in the previous race in Azerbaijan, as a late puncture cost him what would have been a straightforward victory late on. However, there was little sign of the Finn feeling sorry for himself in Barcelona.

As the wind whipped around the track, he coped with the elements better than anyone else, with his time of 1:18.148 comfortably the quickest of the session.

Hamilton, who benefitted from Bottas' misfortune to win a week ago, was almost a second slower than his fellow Mercedes man.

The team Twitter account commented on how much quicker the drivers were going this year than 12 months ago:

Valtteri's 2018 #SpanishGP #FP1 time = 1:18.148s
Lewis' 2017 #SpanishGP pole time = 1:19.149s

A whole second faster! 😲

New tarmac + more downforce = 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/FdILDOOTKq

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 11, 2018

For Ricciardo, it was a morning to forget, as his Red Bull went into the wall after an error early in the session.

The Australian lost control after some oversteer into Turn 4, and it didn't end well:

Not the start to the #SpanishGP weekend Daniel Ricciardo was hoping for 💥 pic.twitter.com/F5FB4fL83n

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 11, 2018

Elsewhere, the Red Bulls weren't exactly blasting around the Barcelona track, as noted by Andrew Benson of BBC Sport:

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but McLaren are swapping times with Red Bull at the moment, with their big nose/front upgrade. RIC 19.871 (and now in the wall at Turn Four). ALO 19.990. VER 20.140 https://t.co/uL0Q7SMzhl

— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) May 11, 2018

There was a memorable moment in the morning runs, as Robert Kubica returned to Formula One for the first time since 2010. He's not been behind a wheel in the sport since a rally accident left him with limited movement in his right arm in 2011.

He stepped in as Williams' development and reserve driver on Friday and steered the car to 19th in FP1.  

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has said that members of his Mercedes team were held up at gunpoint in Brazil.

Hamilton has taken to Twitter to explain how gunshots were fired during the incident after they left the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo. 

The 32-year-old also called for action to be taken, writing "this happens every single year": 

Some of my team were held up at gun point last night leaving the circuit here in Brazil. Gun shots fired, gun held at ones head. This is so upsetting to hear. Please say a prayer for my guys who are here as professionals today even if shaken.

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 11, 2017

This happens every single year here. F1 and the teams need to do more, there’s no excuse!

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 11, 2017

Mercedes have released a statement regarding the incident and confirmed no one had been hurt: "Valuables were stolen but everybody is safe and uninjured which is the main thing," per Sky News.

The team's official Twitter account also responded to Hamilton and said that while precautions are taken, more must be done:

We operate with specialist security advisors and train our personnel in case incidents like this occur. But as last night has shown, there is even more we can do - as a team and as a sport.

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 11, 2017

Andrew Benson at BBC Sport also said some FIA staff and members of the Williams team escaped similar problems:

Some Mercedes personnel were robbed at gun point leaving the track last night. No-one harmed. Close escapes for FIA and Williams people, too

— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) November 11, 2017

The incident is worryingly similar to when Jenson Button was threatened by gunmen in 2010.

The British driver managed to escape but said it was a "horrible thing to happen," per Richard Williams of the Guardian.

It is also likely to increase concerns over safety ahead of Sunday's penultimate race of the season.

Mercedes have already claimed the constructors' championship and Hamilton his fourth world title, making him the most successful British F1 driver in history.

However, Hamilton will start the race from the back of the grid after crashing out in qualifying on Saturday. 

Lewis Hamilton won the fourth world title of his career on Sunday during the 2017 Mexican Grand Prix, despite enduring an eventful race and finishing ninth. The victory went to Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel collided during the first lap and spent the rest of the race catching up. Vettel finished fourth, behind Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull retired in the pit lane.

Formula 1's official Twitter account confirmed the title race is over:

He’s done it! 🏆🏆🏆🏆

Congratulations @LewisHamilton, FOUR-time world champion!#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/drd4GexvhD

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29, 2017

Here's a look at the results:

INITIAL CLASSIFICATION (LAP 71/71): A third win for @Max33Verstappen 💪 #MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Aqjin39k8V

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29, 2017

      

Recap

Most pundits assumed Sunday's race would be relatively free of drama, as Hamilton needed just a fifth-place finish or better in his reliable Mercedes to win the title.

The tactical plans for Ferrari and Mercedes went out of the window during the opening lap, however. Vettel and Verstappen made contact in the very first corner, while the Englishman was tagged by the former two corners later and suffered a puncture. Fans couldn't believe it, and WTF1 loved it:

https://twitter.com/wtf1official/status/924714446873858048

Three laps into the race, Vettel and Hamilton were both at the back of the field and onto the soft tyres. The German had to finish in the top two to stop Hamilton from winning the title.

Verstappen held the early lead ahead of Bottas, but all was not well for Red Bull, either. Ricciardo parked his car in the pits just a few laps into the race with what appeared to be an engine failure. Per Autosport Live, he later said it was related to the turbo:

Ricciardo reported "an issue with the turbo". #F1

— Autosport Live (@autosportlive) October 29, 2017

Vettel had to move up the field in a hurry but struggled to get past Williams' Felipe Massa, running wide to eventually make the pass. Hamilton's pace was well below the expectations, meanwhile, as his Mercedes still appeared to be suffering from the early contact.

He was eventually lapped by Verstappen and Bottas, and per Mobil 1 The Grid, that's not something he's used to:

Surreal – @LewisHamilton has now been lapped in a #GrandPrix for the first time since #Spain 2013. #MexicoGP #Verstappen #Hamilton pic.twitter.com/UMOk5XD6M3

— Mobil 1 The Grid (@Mobil1TheGrid) October 29, 2017

Nico Hulkenberg was told to stop the car, as his Renault team it deemed unsafe, while Vettel slowly started to move up the field but was still behind Bottas by more than a minute approaching the halfway point. With 38 laps still to go, the Ferrari man took the bold decision to pit again for supersoft tyres.

Vettel's rise up the field continued and he soon had only Raikkonen and the top two ahead of him, with his team-mate expected to move over if anything happened to Bottas or Verstappen. The Finn was way up the road, however:

#Seb5 is 23.8 to #Kimi7 in P3 ‘Oh..Mamma mia...’ he said on the radio 🙄 #MexicoGP

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) October 29, 2017

Hamilton moved past McLaren's Fernando Alonso and into ninth place, all but ending the title race barring some late drama. Verstappen cruised to the finish line, and when Bottas took second, Mercedes could pop the champagne for Hamilton.