Toto Wolff assures that he never doubted the decision to bring Kimi Antonelli to Mercedes this year to succeed Lewis Hamilton
Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli made a good impression on his first two Formula 1 weekends. Although the Italian has not yet delivered top results, the 18-year-old has already shown his talent on several occasions.
In an exclusive interview with the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, Toto Wolff has now emphasized that he never had any doubt about the decision to make Antonelli the successor to Lewis Hamilton.
“No,” Wolff makes clear there, although Antonelli did not have an easy season in Formula 2 in 2024. The Italian did rise to the series as the reigning Formula Regional champion, but did not make it onto the podium a single time in the first 14 races.
On the two weekends in Barcelona and Spielberg, Antonelli even went completely blank in four races in a row. But according to Wolff, who at the time had already decided in favor of Antonelli, there were no doubts even during this dry spell.
“Formula 3 and Formula 2 are very complex,” explains Wolff, emphasizing, “You have to be in the right team at the right time. And we don’t doubt his speed and his personality, his values. We know that he needs time, the development was very steep.”
On the Monza weekend of 2024, Mercedes officially confirmed Antonelli’s promotion to Formula One, and Wolff explains: ”We feel that 2025 is the right time because the rules will be changed next year.”
“We wanted him to be able to learn and prepare for next year for a year,” explains the team boss, who also emphasizes that team-mate George Russell, who is now in his fourth Mercedes season, is a good benchmark for the rookie.
“We took the decision to take Kimi on board because we knew that we had George as a benchmark. The car is not much faster than when George is driving it, and with George we know where the car will be. And that’s the benchmark for Kimi,” said Wolff.
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