Toto Wolff was quickly convinced about taking Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as Lewis Hamilton admits it is finally hitting him that he will leave Mercedes.
After Hamilton decided to opt for Ferrari in 2025 F1 season, Wolff took only minutes to decide who should replace him at Mercedes. Granted that the Austrian had others on the list too, most likely Max Verstappen, but the Italian was always on his mind.
Both Wolff and Antonelli down played the situation, to limit the pressure, but with the test days ramping up, it became a forgone conclusion that the rookie F2 racer will get the F1 chance as early as 2025 and that they will not wait any further.
Indeed so, Antonelli was confirmed at his home event in Monza, a day after he crashed George Russell’s Mercedes within 10 minutes of FP1. “I made up my mind five minutes after Lewis Hamilton told me that he’s going to Ferrari,” Wolff said to media. “Obviously, we were discussing other options, and also kept the Max idea.
“We didn’t discount it completely with looking at what happened at Red Bull, but instinctively, that is the line-up with these two that I always wanted. Bearing in mind the fast-tracking that we did with Kimi and everything related there too, but that was immediately what I wanted to do.
“When Lewis decided to go for another challenge, no one can replace him in all of his, let’s say, stature. But that doesn’t mean that the team is not going to prosper with two drivers that represent the future. I’m sure that if we are capable of giving George and Kimi a car that can win races and championships we can hopefully continue the legacy of championship titles that Lewis left here, with these two, as Mercedes.
“As I said, these two are the future. They have been and will be Mercedes drivers, and therefore we have contracts with George and Kimi that go much longer, that are very complicated in terms of options, etc. This is a pressure cooker, but this is where we stand as a team today, we want to go with these two.
“The most important thing is to see how George and Kimi settle in and I see no reason at that stage not giving them the faith and the trust of going forward. What that means for the terms is something that we will discuss between ourselves, but we wouldn’t have gone for the line-up with these two if we wouldn’t believe 100% that they are the best choice for Mercedes,” summed up Wolff.
On the flipside, Hamilton remained away from the announcements and media briefing. But he knew that it would be done at Monza, which is why it started hitting him that his Mercedes seat will be no longer his and that Antonelli will take his place.
There has been emotional moment all-season long, but with the official confirmation of Antonelli, it just hit him more. “I’ve known for ages, so…I knew it would be announced this morning,” said Hamilton. “I definitely woke up and it was very, very, very surreal to just have, at least officially confirmed, my seat is going that I held onto for so long.
“So it was quite emotional this morning, but I’m really, really happy for Kimi and for this team – I know Kimi is gonna do a great job. It’s been there (emotions) all year. Every single race you turn up. I love my team so much. We have been through a hell of a lot together so it will be emotional every single race.
“Because every race we do is the last time at that particular place. Every race we get closer and closer to the last time I’ll be in that Mercedes. It’s going to be tough, but my focus is just to do my best job for the team and to finish on a high. I’ve got to find myself in qualifying somehow.
“My race pace is great, but I have to figure out how to get back my old self. Kimi, he’s a great kid. He’s got a great family around him, and a good head on his shoulders. He’s very talented, he’ll do great. I’m very excited for him,” summed up Hamilton.
Here’s Mercedes confirming Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Here’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli on FP1 crash
Here’s Lewis Hamilton, George Russell on Andrea Kimi Antonelli
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