Hamilton REPLACEMENT decision under-fire ahead of superstar's Ferrari switch

The decision by Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton with Kimi Antonelli has come under-fire.

The Italian will replace seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton in 2025, with Hamilton making a blockbuster move to Ferrari for next season and beyond.

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The confirmation of Antonelli's Mercedes promotion ended months of speculation over who would step into the Brit's seat, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen strongly linked with the soon-to-be-vacant spot.

Is Kimi Antonelli ready for Mercedes?

Recently, Antonelli was given the chance to impress in the Mercedes during FP1 at the Italian Grand Prix. However, his debut didn't go according to plan, as he spun off at Parabolica and caused a red flag which halted proceedings.

Speaking on the Formula for Success Podcast, Eddie Jordan discussed the youngster's disastrous display and criticized his future team for placing too much pressure on his shoulders.

"I thought the pressure of Mercedes would be too much for Kimi and his debut, and that's the way it was, he spun out and caused a lot of damage to the car," the 76-year-old said.

"I still believe that there's a place for Kimi but it's not in Mercedes, that's the point I'm trying to make.

"I don't care how quick he is, he should be placed somewhere that will give Toto [Wolff] and his team the chance to learn for a year and come up that way."

Currently, Antonelli is competing in F2 but has endured a mixed season with Prema Racing, alongside future Haas driver Oliver Bearman.

The 18-year-old is a long way off top spot as things stand, but has shown glimpses of his talent by winning the sprint race in Silverstone, before following that up with his maiden feature race victory in Budapest two weeks later.

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