Wolff rubbishes rumors of early F1 debut for Antonelli

Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff has firmly shut down speculation regarding a potential fast-track move into Formula 1 for their junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

While the 17-year-old Mercedes protégé is being evaluated as a possible successor to Lewis Hamilton when the Briton joins Ferrari in 2025, the current plan involves an assessment of his performances in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Prema and an appraisal of his private F1 testing programme with the Brackley squad.

But in Miami this week, rumors suggested that Antonelli was being considered as a replacement for Logan Sargeant at Williams for as early as this month’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

This speculation intensified after it was alleged that the FIA had received a request for dispensation, believed to be from Williams, to allow Antonelli to compete in F1 despite not yet reaching the minimum age of 18.

However, Wolff has unequivocally denied any interest from Mercedes in pursuing an early F1 debut for Antonelli.

• Read also: Antonelli gets acquainted with F1 ground effects

"The dispensation was something that wasn't brought up by us and we have certainly stated from the beginning that that was not something we have pursued," Wolff told Motorsport.com.

"I don't know where this belief comes from that Mercedes was keen on pushing that forward. Kimi needs to concentrate on his F2 campaign and he knows that.

"Everything else is just rumours, which continue to spin around and that are factually incorrect. He's an F2 driver for Prema, that is what he's doing, and this is what we're all concentrating on."

Wolff emphasized the importance of a cautious approach to Antonelli's development, acknowledging the potential risks of promoting him to Formula 1 too soon.

The Mercedes boss highlighted the young Italian’s rapid progression through the junior ranks and his limited experience, suggesting that focusing on further development in F2 remains the optimal path for now.

"Just 15 months ago, he was in an F4 car," Wolff explained. "We have great belief in Kimi, his abilities and also his future.

"But there is a trajectory which we need to follow with diligence, rather than trying to dream about jumping from series to series in a way that is certainly not beneficial for him.

"I think a champion is not going to be distracted by any of this. But certainly, at least it distracts me because everybody's asking me: 'What about Kimi and driving in Imola?

"This is not going to happen. This is not something that Mercedes wants. These rumours have gotten their own spin. Let's do Formula 2. We as a team have lots of other issues to resolve."

Antonelli is six races into his F2 campaign and currently sits ninth in the championship, having scored his best result last time out in Melbourne where he finished fourth in the feature race.

Last month in Austria, he kicked off his testing programme with Mercedes, running onboard a 2021-spec W12. But at Imola this week, Antonelli was entrusted with the team’s 2022 ground-effect W13 machine.

Wolff says the teenager’s development is unfolding as planned.

"It's completely on the trajectory that we expected," commented the Austrian.

"There are easier days, there are harder days. I think between the two drivers and the team, they need to sort out a few issues, but it's not unexpected. And the testing goes very well and we are just approaching it calm and collected.

"That is what we have planned before the season, a solid F2 campaign and testing for Mercedes, and we will continue to just do this. Everything else is just a distraction for all of us.

"We are super happy with George [Russell]. He's going to continue to be a driver in this team. And everything else we see panning out on the driver market.

"It's not going to happen in the next few weeks or a couple of months."

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