Toto Wolff says Mercedes is playing the long game in its search for Lewis Hamilton’s successor, denying that it has already chosen young gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli to fill the Briton’s seat in 2025.
For several months now, Wolff has alluded to promoting the 17-year-old Italian who is currently undergoing a development and private testing programme in preparation for his arrival in F1.
However, rumors continue to circulate that Mercedes hasn’t given up on its hopes of luring Max Verstappen to the Brackley squad, although the Red Bull driver’s contract with his current team runs until the end of 2028.
Wolff has consistently emphasized the importance of car performance as the primary factor to incite a driver of the calibre of Verstappen to move to Mercedes.
While the early races of 2024 were a struggle for Mercedes, back-to-back podium finishes in Canada and Spain have ignited hope that the team is finally on the upswing. However, Wolff acknowledges the need for further progress.
“I think we need to just continue to improve and look at ourselves, most importantly, as a team with our drivers, Lewis and George,” Wolff explained last weekend in Spain.
“We've just got to get better and hopefully consolidate our ability to get on the podium and, at a certain stage, be able to win races on our own, and good drivers will want to come."
While rumors regarding Mercedes’ line-up continue to circulate in the F1 paddock, Wolff clarified that no conversations were currently taking place with Verstappen.
“No, there's no talks that are taking place at this stage,” he said. “Because I think we need to look at ourselves and on improving the car.”
As for Antonelli’s prospects, the FIA’s decision to potentially grant a special dispensation to young drivers under the age of 18 to qualify for an F1 super licence has fueled rumors that the Mercedes junior is being lined up for an FP1 outing next month or perhaps even for a race debut, likely with Williams.
However, given the fluid state of F1’s driver market, Wolff insists Mercedes wants to keep its options open for as long as possible before possibly committing to handing Antonelli a race seat with his team.
“No driver decision has been made - I said, we want to keep this decision as long as possible, because who knows what happens,” Wolff said.
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