Mexican GP: Hamilton expects Antonelli to handle his car with care

Antonelli, 18, is replacing the Ferrari-bound seven-time Formula One World Champion at Mercedes next season alongside George Russell.

Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Lewis Hamilton will hand his Mercedes over to Andrea Kimi Antonelli for first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday and the Briton said he had no concerns despite the young Italian crashing last time around.

Antonelli, 18, is replacing the Ferrari-bound seven-time Formula One World Champion at Mercedes next season alongside George Russell, whose car he crashed heavily on his practice debut at Monza in August.

“Kimi is young and he’s learning from his first outing in Monza,” Hamilton told reporters. “I think what’s key is, and as I spoke to him, he doesn’t have to set the world alight on the first lap, just build into it, enjoy.

“I told him the track is really dirty early on, and whatever we’re faced with we’ll handle, but I don’t think he’ll have any problems at all.”

Hamilton won two of his titles in Mexico City and is the only current driver, apart from Red Bull’s triple champion Max Verstappen, to have won a race in Mexico.

This time he arrives after a miserable weekend in Austin, Texas, starting 17th and beaching his car in the gravel after just two laps of the race.

“You never know what you’re going to experience, and I have no clue how our car will be here,” he said.

“I think we just need to make sure we keep our heads down and try to make the right decisions through the session, and we’ll see what comes out of it.”