F1 News: Toto Wolff On Mercedes Seat For Kimi Antonelli In Max Verstappen Comparison
Toto Wolff has disclosed Mercedes' strategic decision to not lock Lewis Hamilton into a long-term contract, a move designed to leave room for the promising Andrea Kimi Antonelli. This revelation follows Hamilton's shift to Ferrari, which consequently opens up a potential opportunity for Antonelli at Mercedes in 2025.
Key Takeaways:
- Mercedes' contract strategy with Hamilton was influenced by the potential to integrate Andrea Kimi Antonelli into their F1 lineup.
- At 17, Antonelli is gearing up for a Formula 2 debut after notable successes in junior categories, drawing comparisons to Max Verstappen's early career trajectory.
- Wolff underscores the significance of maintaining flexibility for integrating young talents like Antonelli into the team's future plans.
Mercedes' choice to limit Hamilton's contract length was a calculated move to ensure flexibility for the integration of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a young driver whose potential is evident from his rapid ascent through the racing ranks.
Reflecting on past decisions, Wolff shared with Austrian broadcaster ORF:
“There was a situation many years ago where we had the opportunity to let Max drive.
“And that wasn't possible back then because we simply didn't have a cockpit.
“[Nico] Rosberg and [Lewis] Hamilton were tied to us long-term, and Red Bull naturally seized the opportunity. They gave him a contract with Toro Rosso, with the possibility of driving for Red Bull the following year.
“We then lost the young driver, and you can see how successful he has become.
"And precisely because we have a junior on the horizon who is really driving at a very high level, I simply wanted to keep this option open."
Despite the parallels drawn with Verstappen's early career, Wolff is cautious about rushing Antonelli into Formula 1, stating to Autosport:
"That does not mean that we will actually put Antonelli in the car next year.
"He is 17 years old, and that might be a bit early. But with a view to the next five or ten years, I just wanted to have this option."
Mercedes Press Image
Wolff's admiration for Antonelli's potential is evident as he describes the young Italian as a "wonderkid" who has "won everything there was to win in karting" before moving on to dominate in F4 and then up a level. The decision to propel Antonelli directly into F2, according to Wolff, is due to the limited testing opportunities in F3, making F2 a more suitable platform for evaluating Antonelli's capabilities against the backdrop of the F1-supporting programme.
Mercedes has planned an extensive testing programme for Antonelli in 2024, utilising a 2022 car to gauge his readiness for a potential F1 seat in the following years.
Wolff has maintained that the team are not going to rush into signing a driver to replace Hamilton in 2025.