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Former Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton penned a note to his replacement Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the team's motorhome in Imola as the 2025 F1 season reached the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix for the weekend. The young Italian driver mentioned that he got "emotional" reading the message, as the Brackley-based outfit released the footage.
Hamilton is one of the most experienced drivers on the current F1 grid, having spent close to two decades behind the wheel in the pinnacle of motorsport. After he moved to Ferrari this season, Mercedes replaced him with Kimi Antonelli, the youngest driver on the grid at 18.
As Formula 1 moves for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola this weekend, Lewis Hamilton wrote a secret note to Antonelli, which the latter was seen reading in a recent video the team uploaded on their social media.
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"Oh! The famous, famous message!" Antonelli said, as he saw the note.
"Thanks, Lewis! Really nice. Oh, I'm getting emotional Yeah, thank you, Lewis! I really, really appreciate it. Really nice for me. Thank you so much!" He reacted after reading the note.
The 2025 F1 grid witnessed a whopping six rookies, the most since 2001. Comparing their performances, Kimi Antonelli has delivered the best results with Mercedes. The team recognized his talent early. He skipped Formula 3 and was in his debut F2 season when they decided to sign him for this season, and he has delivered competitive performances so far.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli refuses to reveal contents of note from Lewis Hamilton
While Kimi Antonelli could be seen getting emotional after reading the note, neither he nor the team revealed its exact contents. It generated quite some curiosity amongst fans. Subsequently, the 18-year-old was asked about the note's exact words by the media, however, he refused to reveal.
"Unfortunately you guys cannot see, but I think it tells a lot on how Lewis is as a person," he told the media (via PlanetF1). "I could see a lot of the human side of Lewis, not only the driver. And reading the message, it fulfilled my heart to receive such a message from such a figure in the sport."
Antonelli further acknowledged the "amazing" feeling of receiving a message from Lewis Hamilton, mentioning that the Briton left him some advice for his career.
"He has done so much and he’s still right there, giving his best. He’s one of the best in history and to receive such a message, of course it’s amazing," he added. "And of course, also in the message it contains some advice. I use it as a motivation as well, to go out there and and do my best, because it doesn’t happen every day."
While Kimi Antonelli continues to deliver competitive results, Lewis Hamilton has been suffering the wrath of a struggling Ferrari. The Italian team lost significant pace compared to last season, owing to the drivability of the SF-25. The car lacks traction out of corners and both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc seem to be correcting the steering more than sailing through some corners. The team is currently fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
