Mercedes has not yet finalized a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. Toto Wolff has expressed his interest in Max Verstappen multiple times, indicating his desire to have him on board. Carlos Sainz, who has also defeated Max Verstappen, has proven himself deserving of that position.
However, there is also a possibility for Kimi Antonelli, a reserve driver for Mercedes, to secure the seat. With Antonelli’s exceptional talent, he can greatly influence the team’s motivation and drive. Will he be able to secure the seat?
Antonelli’s exceptional performance in winning numerous junior single-seater titles in his debut year of transitioning from karts to racing cars in 2021 has earned him high praise. During the Imola event, when questioned about the suitability of Sainz for Mercedes, Hamilton expressed his inclination towards Antonelli as his preferred choice.
Hamilton said “Carlos is a great driver, so I think wherever he goes I think he would be a positive for any team,” said Hamilton.
“Honestly, I have no idea what Toto’s plans are, but for me, taking on a youngster, if it was my role, I would probably take on Kimi.”
So what has Toto Wolff to say about Kimi Antonelli ?
Antonelli, who is currently 17 years old, will be celebrating his 18th birthday on August 25 this year, coinciding with the Dutch Grand Prix. Despite having accumulated sufficient superlicence points through his junior achievements to compete in Formula 1, he is currently held back solely by his age.
In an Interview Toto Wolff said.
“I guess for the Italians it’s super exciting to have Lewis Hamilton in red next year. We will get used to the outfits, but we have got to look at ourselves,” he said.
“Maybe there is an option that we shine more with an Italian in our car, so we’re pushing back hard.”
