Mercedes are gearing up for the beginning of the 2025 F1 season with the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, the place George Russell and 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli shall be paired collectively for the primary time
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has warned George Russell he expects new driver Kimi Antonelli to be on tempo with him at first of the 2025 Method 1 season.
Antonelli has been promoted from Mercedes ‘ junior ranks following Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari and Wolff is predicting large issues for the Italian – insisting he has “super potential” forward of the Australian Grand Prix to kick issues off this weekend.
Whereas Wolff has beforehand performed down expectations across the 18-year-old forward of his debut F1 season, he has revealed he informed Russell that he believes Antonelli shall be maintaining with him all through the season.
“After we determined to go for Kimi, it was clear that we’re going for a younger driver that has proven super potential within the junior sequence since we have identified him,” he stated, through Motorsport.com.
“For Kimi, it is concerning the time to develop, to study the tracks, to be on high for subsequent 12 months, the regulation change. Which means nice outcomes and meaning moments the place it may be harder.
“I stated to George: ‘We do not anticipate you to simply be crushing Kimi on a regular basis’. We would not have employed Kimi if we thought that may be the case.
“So, I consider by way of velocity, Kimi goes to be proper up there with George. There’s lots to study by way of lengthy operating the tyres, and the event goes to be steep.
The F1 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix this Sunday, with Mercedes hoping their inexperienced partnership can nonetheless compete with the likes of Purple Bull star Max Verstappen and McClaren’s Lando Norris – who pushed the Dutchman far final season.
Wolff stated: “We have now a driver mixture of 1 very younger driver, 18 years outdated, and one other younger driver, 27 years outdated, and hopefully they are going to push one another, and push one another robust.”
There had been discuss of Wolff pursuing Verstappen as Hamilton’s substitute final season however he insisted the four-time world champion was not at present on his radar.
“We have to consider our driver line-up,” he stated. “I do not flirt exterior if I am in a great relationship, and that’s true for this 12 months too. So in the mean time that [a move for Verstappen] isn’t on any radar.”
