Jul.29 (GMM) Toto Wolff is now freely admitting that Kimi Antonelli is his “first choice” to interchange the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton from 2025.
Earlier, Max Verstappen was clearly the Mercedes boss’s #1 decide to pair with George Russell subsequent yr – however the triple world champion now appears locked into his Purple Bull contract a minimum of till 2026.
Wolff advised RTBF at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday: “However you by no means know. We’ve a teenager who’s arriving and who could be very robust.”
That teenager is 17-year-old Italian Antonelli, a Wolff-groomed protege whose current type has been enhancing in his first season of Formulation 2.
“I’ll proceed to look at the market,” Wolff has now advised Autosportwereld, a Belgian publication. “I’m not positive how issues will evolve additional at Purple Bull.
“The factors for our subsequent driver is easy – we wish the perfect driver accessible. In the intervening time, my first choice is Kimi Antonelli,” he stated.
Some suppose Antonelli has already been advised he’s secured the seat, significantly with Carlos Sainz now stated to be on the verge of a Williams contract.
“Different drivers would signal a one or two-year contract, however that’s not sufficient for us,” Wolff insisted. “So I’m comfortable to take a danger with Antonelli, as a result of it’s a calculated danger.
“In case you take a look at the progress of (Oscar) Piastri, it took him a yr and a half to compete for victory on the degree of Lando Norris. We need to attempt to do the identical with Kimi.
“In 2025, with the modifications in 2026, we’ll be in transition anyway,” the Austrian added. “So it’s a superb season to deliver him into our crew.
“In fact, there are dangers, however they don’t seem to be a lot in his expertise as a driver. He can be uncovered to the media and the talents of George Russell, probably the greatest drivers on the grid. However Kimi has huge potential,” stated Wolff.
“His pace and expertise are already at a sure degree, he simply lacks the expertise.”
So with Russell already signed, Wolff is now seeing the upside of Hamilton’s shock resolution early this yr to modify to purple overalls for 2025 and past.
“I’ve all the time seen the departure of a driver as a brand new alternative for the crew,” the Mercedes boss insists. “Change is nice – you need to embrace it.
“When Lewis advised me the information, I initially thought ‘Why now and never midway via the season?’ However he thought it was mandatory not just for him, but in addition for the crew.
“We don’t should rush,” Wolff concluded. “We need to wait to make the correct resolution.”
