Lewis Hamilton set to be replaced at Italian Grand Prix as Mercedes hand out debut | F1 | Sport

Mandatory practice sessions for junior drivers have been part of the F1 programme for some time, with it little surprise Mercedes are choosing to put Antonelli behind the steering wheel.

However, given Mercedes – and specifically Hamilton – have been in fine form prior to the summer break, the decision to run Antonelli’s practice session this early in the season has raised some eyebrows.

Antonelli has long been touted as Hamilton’s eventual replacement when the seven-time world champion heads off to join Ferrari next year.

The Brackley-based constructor’s eagerness to see how Antonelli performs in their F1 car in front of a paying audience could point towards the fact Mercedes are edging closer to selecting him for the 2025 campaign.

It has also been reported that Antonelli will be announced as Hamilton’s successor at the upcoming Italian GP, meaning he could already be a Mercedes F1 driver by the time the FP1 session takes place.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has been open and honest in the past about their interest in Antonelli, most recently telling Sky Sports: “I think first of all, Carlos [Sainz] deserves a top seat.

“But for us, we’ve embarked on a route now to say, ‘You know what, we want to reinvent ourselves a little bit, going forward.’ Kimi Antonelli definitely plays a part in that.

“We haven’t taken a decision yet for next year, but we didn’t want to have Carlos wait as well, because he needs to take the decisions for himself – that’s just fair. But he’s doing a super job.”

Prior to the showdown in Italy, the F1 season resumes after the summer break with the Dutch GP this weekend.

Unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen starts the weekend top of the Drivers’ Championship standings, boasting a 78-point gap to Lando Norris in second.

However, Verstappen will be looking to put an end to a run of three races without a win he rolls up for his home GP at the Zandvoort Circuit.