MONZA, Italy — Lewis Hamilton said it was “surreal” and “emotional” to wake up Saturday morning knowing that Andrea Kimi Antonelli would be announced as his replacement at Mercedes next year.
Earlier this year, Hamilton agreed a deal to move to Ferrari in 2025, leaving a space open alongside George Russell at Mercedes for next season.
After months of speculation, Mercedes confirmed on Saturday that 18-year-old Antonelli will team-mate Russell next year, with the new driver line-up holding a press conference alongside team boss Toto Wolff in the Monza paddock.
Hamilton has driven for Mercedes since 2013 and said it was a strange feeling to hear the Antonelli news had become public.
“I mean, I've known about it for years… but definitely this morning, I knew it was going to be announced this morning, and I definitely woke up and it was very surreal, just to have it officially confirmed that my seat was going to be taken away and that I'd held it for so long,” Hamilton said.
“This morning I was very emotional, but very happy for Kimi and for this team. I know Kimi is going to do a great job.”
Hamilton took an emotional victory at the British Grand Prix this year (his first in more than two and a half years) and then claimed a second at the Belgian Grand Prix when teammate George Russell was disqualified because his car was underweight.
The seven-time champion, who won six of his titles with Mercedes between 2014 and 2020, said every race this year has been emotional knowing he would be leaving the team at the end of the season.
“He's been there all year. Every race we've been in and I… I love my team so much and we've been through so much together.
“So it's going to be a very emotional race, because every race we do is the last time I'm racing that particular race and every race we're getting closer and closer to the last time I'll be in a Mercedes and that's difficult, it's definitely going to be difficult.
“Now my goal is to try to do the best job possible for the team and finish on a high. I have to find my own rhythm for qualifying somehow. My race pace is excellent, I just have to find a way to get back to my old self.”
Hamilton qualified sixth for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, just 0.186 seconds behind Lando Norris on pole position, but said two mistakes prevented him from securing a front-row place on the grid.
“I'm absolutely furious,” he told Sky Sports. “I could have been on pole. I could have been on the front row at least.”
“In the end I didn't do my job properly. I lost 0.15 seconds in the first and second corners and then I lost 0.1 seconds in the last corner. I have no one to blame but myself.”
“Qualifying has been my weakness for a while now and I can't figure it out. I'll keep trying.
“In the end, I have to move on. We have a good race car and the team has done an incredible job this weekend.
“The car has delivered better results than in the last race and the team deserves better. Maybe they can get it with Kimi.”
