Lewis Hamilton’s determination to depart Mercedes for Components 1 rivals Ferrari was a blow, but additionally offered Toto Wolff with a possibility to appropriate an enormous previous mistake
Picture: Getty Photographs)
Toto Wolff was gutted to lose Lewis Hamilton – however is delighted to have the prospect to provide promising starlet Kimi Antonelli his first Components 1 probability.
Hamilton approached workforce principal Wolff final January to inform the Austrian he had determined to stop for rivals Ferrari. It was a blow, however the early determination, made earlier than the 2024 season had even begun, gave Mercedes loads of time to supply his alternative.
Wolff had a fantastic try at wooing Max Verstappen nevertheless it was rapidly clear that the Dutchman did not plan to depart Purple Bull for the 2025 marketing campaign. So as an alternative he appeared inside and determined Antonelli, who solely turned 18 in August, was to be Hamilton’s successor.
Within the younger Italian, Mercedes imagine they may have F1’s subsequent huge megastar on their palms. Antonelli has a really spectacular information within the junior formulae and was fast-tracked by way of the system so he could be prepared for his huge second.
Wolff is determined for his workforce to have its personal reply to Verstappen after lacking out on the Dutchman as a teenager. Mercedes tempted the now four-time champion when he was a young person however Purple Bull supplied a swifter path to F1 and so he turned the Silver Arrows down.
Had there been no clear path for promotion to a race seat within the coming yr, Antonelli might too have determined to maneuver elsewhere. So though Wolff is much from completely satisfied to see the again of Hamilton, he’s more than happy that the Brit’s exit gave him the prospect he wanted to maintain a supremely gifted racer for the long run.
“It was a curve ball thrown at us, and it nonetheless feels bizarre that he is gonna put on Ferrari overalls and drive the crimson automotive,” he instructed the Armchair Consultants podcast, referring to Hamilton’s departure. “It is only a bit surreal.
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“However we had this 17-year-old within the pipeline [Antonelli]. I did not wish to miss out on him, like I did with Max again within the day, [when] I did not have a automotive [to give to him], so that’s all falling into place.
“And I can type of get the place [Hamilton] is coming from, as a result of we weren’t profitable. Our automotive was not fast sufficient, actually he had a mega provide on the desk, [and] each Components 1 driver needs to drive a Ferrari.
“I did not wish to do the choice, as Mercedes, letting the best champion ever go. Possibly he felt that additionally, that is a part of it, and he knew that Antonelli was within the pipeline. It was one thing that I virtually had at the back of my thoughts, that it will occur.”
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