LEWIS HAMILTON REPLACEMENT UPDATE AS TOTO WOLFF REVEALS LENGTHY TIMELINE
Mercedes could wait until November to name Lewis Hamilton’s replacement with Toto Wolff still undecided on Kimi Antonelli.
Seemingly giving up Max Verstappen after revealing they are not currently in talks over a Mercedes race seat, it’s Antonelli who is reportedly leading the running to sit in the second Mercedes alongside George Russell.
Toto Wolff undecided on putting Antonelli in the Mercedes in 2025
Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo
But although there has been a lot of talk about the 17-year-old Italian, Antonelli is still adjusting to Formula 2 after skipping Formula 3.
Scoring 48 points with Prema to put him ninth in the Drivers’ standings, he’s chasing a first podium having claimed a hat-trick of P4s.
But talked up as the future of Mercedes, the long-time junior could yet be making another big leap next season with Wolff confirming he is the running to replace Hamilton.
“I would very much like to see him in Formula 1 next year,” he told DAZN. “Whether that’s with us or another team or as a test driver… I don’t know yet.”
Although Wolff is still in talks with Antonelli, the team boss told the media, including PlanetF1.com, in Spain that there are “no talks taking place” with Verstappen at present.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future.
At a time when Red Bull are still winning races and championships, the team boss says it’s up to Mercedes to design “a good car or the best car, drivers will want to drive in that car. That has to be our main focus.
“In the brutal reality of the sport there is no place for dreams.”
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Max Verstappen lingers but Carlos Sainz is out
But that doesn’t mean the dream isn’t lingering even if it is in the background.
Asked about Carlos Sainz, who was dropped by Ferrari in favour of signing Hamilton, Wolff ruled out a straight swap as he wants a “new” path forward for Mercedes.
A path that could still include Verstappen.
“We want to go in a completely new generation. If it is with Kimi or see what Max does,” he said.
“I didn’t want to have Carlos wait anymore. I think we may take a decision in November.
“Carlos is a race winner in Ferrari but it all came down to the decision that Ferrari said: ‘we want to have Lewis Hamilton in the car for next year’.”
As for his soon-to-be-former driver Hamilton, Wolff had only words of praise for the seven-time Grand Prix winner who he called the “most iconic Formula 1 driver.
“We’ve won so many races and titles with him. We will always have him close to our hearts.”
He also said it’s going to take him a moment getting used to seeing the Briton in red. “It will be a good photo for the first months. Everybody has to get used to see him in red. But Ferrari is Ferrari,” he added.
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