Sports
Mercedes F1’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli prepares to succeed, not replace, Lewis Hamilton
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MONZA, Italy — Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Formula One practice debut was over nearly as quickly as it started.
The 18-year-old driver topped the timesheets early during first practice ahead of the Italian Grand Prix; however, he soon lost control through Parabolica, the high-speed Turn 11, crashing into the tire barriers. The Formula Two driver was okay and walked away feeling like he learned a lesson “in a tough way.”
“I learned that I cannot go flat out looking for the limit straight away. Especially looking back, the track was very slippery. The grip was quite a bit lower than expected,” Antonelli said. “I was pushing too hard, for sure. For the next few times, I will just try to build the run more progressively instead of just trying to find the limit.”
Antonelli owned the mistake, but it came less than 24 hours before Mercedes announced the Italian would complete its 2025 driver lineup, making Antonelli the third confirmed rookie for next season.
Antonelli experienced a rapid rise through the junior categories, including skipping a few stops along the way. His crash in FP1 wouldn’t have been the first time skeptics have wondered: is Antonelli, who turned 18 only a week ago, ready for the step up to F1?
Mercedes feels so.
“As a driver, you have the speed or you don’t have the speed. I’m very confident that Kimi has the speed. Everybody on their journey is going to make mistakes,” George Russell said Saturday. “That’s part of life and part of this sport. I have no doubt Kimi will learn from yesterday, but he’s definitely got the speed to help Mercedes get back to the front of the grid for next year and onwards, and that’s exactly why he’s going to be alongside me in the car next year.”
GO DEEPER
Toto Wolff took ‘five minutes’ to decide on Antonelli as Hamilton’s F1 replacement
Antonelli’s background
Antonelli’s ascent to F1 is similar to that of reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman went straight from Formula Three to an F1 seat in 2015, becoming the youngest driver to ever start a grand prix at age 17. Antonelli skipped F3 altogether and went straight to F2 in 2024 after being crowned champion in Formula Regional Europe and Formula Regional Middle East last year. It came after four consecutive title victories, dating back to 2020 (European karting twice, ADAC F4 and Italian F4).
Skipping a step in the motorsport ladder and fast-tracking a driver’s career isn’t the typical Mercedes approach. With Russell, for example, he competed at every level — F4, F3, F2 – before reaching F1. But as Antonelli ascended, skepticism followed.
Spectators and the media will likely analyze any mistake the young driver makes, particularly when racing for a front-running team.
“One of the main factors is that when you know you have a team like Mercedes around you that really believe in you, and they have been believing in me from a really young age, it really helps you to feel and to cope with this pressure really well,” Antonelli said when asked how he’s preparing to cope with the pressure.
Marco Antonelli and Andrea Kimi Antonelli after Formula 2 Sprint Race at Silverstone Circuit in Northampton, Great Britain on July 6, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Even though sometimes I still don’t cope with that perfectly, I still get the right support from Mercedes but also from my family, so I’m really happy to be with them and really happy with the support they’ve been giving me. Not only in the past but nowadays.”
Antonelli was born in Bologna and comes from a family where both parents are involved in his career, a father (who has experience racing in European touring cars) with strong racing knowledge and a mother who continues to be supportive, Wolff said.
The Mercedes team boss discussed how humility and loyalty are essential qualities for the 18-year-old, sharing that the family remained committed to Mercedes despite rival teams pursuing him. “Marco Antonelli has always been clear: ‘You gave us the opportunity, and that’s why we are sticking with you.’”
And then, there’s Antonelli’s raw talent. There are qualities that you can’t teach a driver, and Wolff reiterated how “it’s easier to make someone calm down in terms of aggressiveness than the other way around.”
“James Allison actually said when (Antonelli) launched himself at the first lap (on Friday), the first braking into the chicane, he had both tires into the grass already,” Wolff continued. “So the difference between free practice and qualifying we have to discuss!
“But that’s also Kimi. He’s putting the car into the ground, and (to) be able to crush — crush it, not crash it — it on the first lap is a great ability.”
A new era
It can be daunting walking into the sport as a rookie.
They have trained their whole lives for this moment, dreaming of reaching the pinnacle of motorsport, but dealing with the noise is a different story. Antonelli will join the grid as an 18-year-old, the third youngest F1 driver in history when he debuts in Australia, filling the vacancy left by one of the biggest names in the sport, Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli doesn’t view his promotion as replacing the seven-time world champion but as starting a new chapter in Mercedes’ storied history.
“I think it’s not possible to replace Lewis Hamilton. He’s such a great figure in the sport of today and he has achieved so much in his career. So I don’t want to be seen as his replacement – I am just the next driver for Mercedes in 2025,” Antonelli said. “I’m really excited for that. But he is a really great driver, and he has been really giving some support, so I am really happy.”
Hamilton has been with Mercedes for 12 seasons, establishing one of the longest driver-team relationships on the grid. The Briton shocked the F1 world when news broke he was moving to Ferrari from 2025. Wolff said he made up his mind on who would fill the vacancy five minutes after he spoke with Hamilton about his decision.
“We won eight constructors’ titles and six drivers’ titles together, and he is the biggest personality in the sport, with the biggest gravitas and international recognition, but he is also the one who has beaten all the records,” Wolff said. “When Lewis decided to go for another challenge, no one can replace him in all of his stature. But that doesn’t mean that the team is not going to prosper with two drivers that represent the future.”
Antonelli debriefs with Peter Bonnington at Monza. Bonnington is Hamilton’s long-time engineer and will serve the same role for Antonelli in 2025. (Pro Shots/Sipa USA)
Antonelli said he remained focused on delivering on his F2 campaign and testing of previous cars (TPC) while Wolff and Mercedes discussed his future. According to Antonelli and Wolff, he has done around 10 TPCs this year, including two at Red Bull Ring (it snowed during one), two at Barcelona, and one each at Imola, Spa and Silverstone. The team boss added, “We will continue with that, because when you look at the blueprint back in the day that Lewis gave, it was a lot of testing to prepare not only for the driving but also going through the race weekend preparation, it’s what we’ve done in the last one. So that program is going to continue.”
Mercedes did consider placing Antonelli at Williams as it did with Russell from 2019 to 2021, Wolff said. The team believed the testing program would better help Antonelli continue his F1 machinery education. Wolff added, “I think the more kilometers you do, especially in a car that is not great, the TPC car (which was the 2022 car) was not our best car, it’s going to get him between 15 and 20 days under his belt, and that’s important.”
Antonelli recently said he maybe wasn’t ready to leap to F1, but on Saturday, he said the TPC program helped him prepare. He began feeling better while driving the car and seeing improvement, such as in the long runs (which he said was a previous weak point). He admitted that he is still learning but added, “Every time I got in the car, I feel so much better.”
Mistakes happen. Plenty of the best drivers have misstepped in their careers, especially in the early days. What’s important and will shape the beginning of Antonelli’s career is how he learns and grows past his FP1 crash, making his name as part of a storied F1 team.
“That’s going to be a valuable lesson because it’s not about having fun in an F3 car in Silverstone in the rain,” Wolff said. “This is Formula One – there is a lot of responsibility that comes with it, for the best car brand in the world, for many thousands of people. And that’s why Kimi yesterday learned in a very, very hard way. I think that moment must have been very tough. And compromised George for his day and his weekend, and Kimi knows that.
“But sometimes, it needs to sting. Then it sticks.”
GO DEEPER
Why Mercedes F1 put its faith in 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton
Top photo: Sipa USA
Sports
Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests
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For the second year in a row, the Navy Midshipmen have won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.
The Midshipmen earned a gutsy 17-16 victory over Army in one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Navy got out to a scorching-hot start, as they scored a touchdown on their first drive, with Blake Horvath rushing for 45 of the 75 yards on the drive and running in for the score. He also had an 11-yard pass.
President Donald Trump greets players after the coin toss and before the start of the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium, Saturday, in Baltimore, Md. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Army, though, answered right back with an identical drive, going 13 plays for 75 yards — this one ended with Cale Hellums punching one in.
Navy’s offense was stalled for a long while after, as their next three drives ended in a punt, fumble, and interception. In the meantime, the Black Knights were able to tack on three more field goals to go up, 16-7. Late in the third, the Midshipmen finally added more points on the scoreboard with a field goal that cut their deficit to three.
Early in the fourth, Navy forced an Army interception. Navy had the ball at the goal line but fumbled on a quarterback sneak, losing seven yards. Horvath hit Eli Heidenrich in the end zone, though, and the ensuing kick gave the Midshipmen their first lead since the first drive of the game.
Navy promptly forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with less than five minutes to go. Navy lost a fumble when trying for a first down that would have iced the game, but the play was reviewed, and the call was reversed. Thus, Navy had a fourth-and-1 and kept the offense on the field. They got the first down that iced the game.
US President Donald Trump tosses a coin before the college football game between the US Army and Navy in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski / AFP via Getty Images)
CHICAGO RADIO HOST RIPS CUBS PLAYER FOR TURNING POINT EVENT ATTENDANCE, LIKENS IT TO ‘NAZI-ADJACENT PEP RALLY’
With the win, Navy earned the Commander-in-Chief trophy by also defeating Air Force earlier in the year.
The game was its usual old-school ground-and-pound style of football, as there were only 24 pass attempts compared to 86 runs.
President Donald Trump attended the game for the seventh time, and his second in as many years since being elected again. Trump participated in the coin flip, but not before protesters wielded lewd signs opposing Trump on the street leading up to the stadium.
Protests were expected for the game in the blue city, as Trump has suggested sending the National Guard to Baltimore to help address the city’s rampant crime. Baltimore consistently ranks among U.S. cities with high crime rates, often appearing in the top 5 for violent crimes, especially homicides and robberies.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. The teams are competing for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, with President Trump attending the rivalry for the second consecutive year. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The protests against Trump also come on the same day that officials said two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed in an ambush attack in Syria.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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Sports
Jarred Vanderbilt hoping for an opportunity to help Lakers on defense
Perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt and his ability to defend can help the Lakers and their reeling defense.
Perhaps Vanderbilt can return to the rotation to help the Lakers’ defensive woes while guard Austin Reaves is out for approximately a week because of a mild left calf strain.
And perhaps Vanderbilt and the Lakers can get some immediate results for shoring up their defensive shortcomings when they face the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.
The 6-foot-8 Vanderbilt is hopeful that his opportunity will come against the Suns and he turns that into a positive for the Lakers.
“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after practice Saturday. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”
In the last 10 games, Vanderbilt had only a three-minute stint against the Philadelphia 76ers because Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.
The return of LeBron James and Vanderbilt’s offensive deficiencies left him out of the rotation. During much of that time the Lakers were winning, which meant Vanderbilt spent time on the bench.
In 15 games, Vanderbilt is three for 10 (26.6%) from three-point range. He was asked how he has been handling things.
“Good,” Vanderbilt said. “Controlling what I can control. Keep showing up to work, doing my part, supporting the team.”
Vanderbilt was asked if coach JJ Redick or any assistants have spoken to him about his role.
“Kind of here and there, I guess,” Vanderbilt said.
Vanderbilt was seen after practice Saturday working with an assistant coach on his shooting, just like he did after practice Friday and like he has done while not playing.
Redick said Reaves, who played against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, wasn’t sure when the calf became an issue, and “we’re obviously gonna be cautious with it.”
“It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said, adding, “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnosis with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”
The Lakers have looked at the last 10 games during the film sessions as a barometer for their defensive problems. But in reality, the Lakers have not been very good on defense all season while producing a 17-7 record because of their stellar offense.
“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt said. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”
The Lakers are 18th in the NBA in points given up (116.8), 22nd in opponents’ field-goal percentage (48.1%) and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting (38.2%).
They will face a Suns team that defeated them Dec. 1 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were unable to stop Collin Gillesipie, who had 28 points and was eight for 14 from three-point range, and Dillon Brooks, who had 33 points.
It hasn’t gotten better in the ensuing days. The Spurs loss was the Lakers’ third in the last five games.
“Nobody likes to go watch film after you get your ass kicked,” guard Marcus Smart said. “It’s tough because the film never lies. And it exposed us a lot, which we already knew. We were just winning a lot of games. So it was mitigated that way, but it was straight to it: We have to be able to guard.
“The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard, especially in the West. These guys are no joke, and they’re coming. And especially [if] you got the Lakers across your jersey. They’re definitely coming with everything they have. So you can’t be expecting any surprises. And that’s what it was. It wasn’t no sugarcoating anything. It was, ‘This is what we got to do.’ We’ve been asked. Let’s fix it.”
Sports
Michigan football staffer who had alleged affair with Sherrone Moore still employed by university
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The football staffer who allegedly had a romantic relationship with fired head coach Sherrone Moore is still employed by the University of Michigan.
The woman has served as Moore’s executive assistant.
“There is no change in her employment status,” a Michigan spokesperson told Fox News.
The woman received a massive pay bump between 2024 and 2025.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears via video in court in Ann Arbor, Mich., Dec. 12, 2025. (Ryan Sun/AP Photo)
The individual allegedly linked to Moore, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an executive assistant to the head football coach at the University of Michigan, made just over $58,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to public payroll information. In the 2025 fiscal year, though, her salary jumped to $99,000, according to a salary disclosure report from the University of Michigan.
During Moore’s arraignment Friday, prosecutors alleged he and the staffer had been in an “intimate relationship for a number of years,” which they say the woman ended on Monday. Prosecutors further claim Moore sent multiple text messages and made phone calls that prompted the woman to report the situation to the university and cooperate with its investigation.
Moore was released from jail Friday on $25,000 bond, according to police records obtained by Fox News Digital.
However, it’s unclear whether Moore will be returning home to his family.
Moore’s attorney, Joseph Simon, declined to say whether the coach will be going home to his wife and three children while speaking to reporters at an Ann Arbor courthouse Friday.
FIRED MICHIGAN COACH SHERRONE MOORE ACCUSED OF STALKING VICTIM ‘FOR MONTHS’ IN POLICE DISPATCH AUDIO
“I’m just going to not answer that question,” Simon said when asked if Moore was “going to be able to go home.”
Moore has been married to wife Kelli since 2015, and they have three daughters together — Shiloh, Solei and Sadie. Simon also declined to comment on the “mood” of his client after Moore was charged.
The conditions of Moore’s release require him to wear a GPS tether and continue mental health treatment and forbid him from communicating with the victim.
Moore was fired Wednesday, and the University of Michigan quickly announced it found credible evidence he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was then detained by police Wednesday after news of his dismissal broke.
Moore was arraigned in court Friday on stalking and home invasion charges. According to prosecutors, he faces a felony charge of home invasion in the third degree and two misdemeanor charges of stalking and breaking and entering without the owner’s permission.
Both misdemeanor charges are related to a “domestic relationship.”
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Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore during warmups before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago Nov. 15, 2025. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
When Moore was fired from his position as head coach, prosecutors said, it prompted him to visit the woman’s home.
Moore then allegedly “barged” his way into the residence, grabbed a butter knife and a pair of kitchen scissors and began threatening his own life. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly told the staffer, “My blood is on your hands” and “You ruined my life.”
Prosecutors claimed Moore “terrorized” the staffer and that they believed him to be a “risk to public safety.”
Fox News’ Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
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