Toto Wolff has all however confirmed Andrea Kimi Antonelli could be driving in Formulation 1 subsequent season – however is it not an enormous gamble for Mercedes?
Wolff has had almost six months to ponder his choice on who would associate George Russell after Lewis Hamilton activated an early exit clause in his contract to hitch Ferrari in 2025.
Talking through the Canadian GP, the Mercedes boss inadvertently admitted the staff could be selecting the younger Italian after cooling its curiosity in Carlos Sainz.
“Carlos deserves a prime seat. He is completed a unbelievable job,” mentioned Wolff, “however for us, we have launched into a route now to say…we need to reinvent ourselves a bit bit going ahead and Kimi Antonelli positively performs a component in that.
“We’ve not taken a call but for subsequent yr however we did not need to have Carlos wait as nicely as a result of he must take the choices for himself. That is simply honest. He is doing a brilliant job.”
A noble assertion maybe, but in addition one which has despatched the hearsay mill into overdrive with conclusions that Antonelli, 17, had now been chosen by Mercedes for 2025.
It means we now face the prospect of one of the thrilling promotions in Formulation 1 historical past.
It’s just like when Hamilton joined McLaren in 2007 when he went from racing within the second tier to a number one F1 staff, somewhat than one within the midfield – though cynics might recommend that’s the place Mercedes at present finds itself.
Hamilton in fact made the transition when F1 testing guidelines have been extra relaxed and had the good thing about extra expertise in driving the equipment in comparison with Antonelli, whose undoubted potential is balanced with appreciable threat.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Prema Racing
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Assessing his present season in F2 with Prema, it’s apparent that he’s nonetheless discovering his toes as he’s but to attain a podium and finds himself in sixth place within the driver’s championship, 32 factors off the chief, Paul Aron.
His factors return within the early stage of his rookie season has not matched that very same degree achieved by the likes of Russell, Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc after they raced in championship.
Nonetheless, for context his Prema staff have struggled with this season’s new F2 automobile and also you solely want to take a look at his team-mate, Ferrari’s younger driver Oliver Bearman, who’s place in thirteenth within the championship – albeit having forfeited the Jeddah spherical to switch Sainz when was dominated out by appendicitis.
Additionally value nothing is the breathtaking pace at which he got here by means of the motorsport pyramid, leaping from Formulation Regional to Formulation 2 for this yr.
Antonelli was born in Bologna, Italy, in 2006 and has been a part of the Mercedes Junior Programme since April 2019.
The son of achieved sportscar driver Marco Antonelli, he has raced in karts since he was seven and had varied wins within the junior classes earlier than profitable the CIK-FIA European Championship OK class in 2021, having additionally gained it the earlier yr, earlier than stepping as much as single-seaters.
He raced in F4 earlier than progressing to the Formulation Regional in 2023 profitable the Center Japanese sequence and in addition taking the Formulation Regional European Championship by Alpine title.
Individuals who know him again him to succeed in the highest, as does Hamilton, who in Imola was requested who Mercedes ought to decide as his alternative.
He mentioned: “Carlos is a superb driver, so I feel wherever he goes I feel he could be a Positive for any staff.
“Truthfully, I don’t know what Toto’s plans are, however for me, taking up a teenager, if it was my position, I’d in all probability tackle Kimi.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Crew, within the storage
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Those that are shut level out that regardless of his younger age, and somewhat like Max Verstappen, he has spent the vast majority of his life at a monitor to look at his father’s profession.
They talk about a formidable psychological power, which has been supported by the vigorous check programme Mercedes has despatched him on.
He acquired a glowing report from Riccardo Musconi, Russell’s former race engineer who now heads up the testing programme for the F1 staff.
Musconi’s suggestions is coupled with that of Mercedes’ expertise scout Gwen Lagrue, the person Mercedes trusts and holds accountable for unearthing gems from the decrease system.
Collectively they’ve appeared to have satisfied Wolff that Antonelli can suitably fill Hamilton’s seat.
In line with former Formulation 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, Wolff didn’t want a lot convincing.
The 1997 world champion mentioned through the Canadian Grand Prix on Sky Sports activities F1 that Wolff “is not going to settle for another resolution than Antonelli. The door has closed there. That is now Antonelli’s staff for the longer term. He has been making ready for this for years”.
Villeneuve added: “Toto Wolff’s ego additionally performed an enormous position in his choice to decide on Antonelli. He desires to show to the world that it was proper to guess on the younger Italian when he was solely 12 years {old}. He desires to point out that he already noticed the longer term world champion in him again then.”
It’s an attention-grabbing take, particularly when you think about the lengths Mercedes has gone to stop including additional strain on to its prodigy.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli contained in the Mercedes AMG F1 motorhome
Picture by: Franco Nugnes
In contrasting to boasting, it has saved him away from the mainstream media and been fast to claim warning over somebody with such an unimaginable rise by means of the ranks.
Maybe, although, Villeneuve is referring to how Wolff let Verstappen slip by means of his fingers in 2015 when he had Hamilton and Nico Rosberg within the staff and was not ready to ditch both one for the highly-rated Dutch racing driver.
As an alternative, it was Purple Bull who was capable of supply Verstappen a spot of their sister staff Toro Rosso and the remaining, as they are saying, is historical past.
Possibly that may be a choice that also wrangles with Wolff, given Verstappen’s apparent expertise and that Rosberg sensationally retired in 2016, leaving Mercedes within the lurch and the hurried signing of Valtteri Bottas as a late alternative.
If the experiences are appropriate and Antonelli is that good, plus if Wolff is decided to not let the following star slip from his grasp, then perhaps there isn’t a gamble for Mercedes in any case.
As a result of, realistically what choices have they got?
It’s unlikely it is going to be combating for the championship in 2025 and after turning down Sainz and already having run the rule over the likes of former drivers Bottas and Esteban Ocon, who else can they decide?
Possibly they’re in a singular place of getting nothing to lose and the whole lot to achieve. And that may be a gamble value taking.