Lewis Hamilton has given Toto Wolff some advice and revealed his ideal choice of successor
Lewis Hamilton has told Toto Wolff to gamble on youth and pick 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace him at Mercedes next year. The seven-time world champion is leaving for Ferrari at the end of the season and has left his Silver Arrows team principal with the daunting task of recruiting another driver for the 2025 campaign.
But teen Antonelli has been impressing in Mercedes’ academy ranks and has been tipped for a bright future, currently undergoing his debut Formula Two season in preparation for another promotion – potentially straight into the Mercedes hotseat.
At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Hamilton was asked about the prospect of Ferrari driver Sainz going in the opposite direction and taking his seat at Mercedes, but instead he wanted to put forward another option. “Carlos is a great driver so wherever he goes he would be a positive for any team,” said Hamilton. “I don’t know what Toto is doing, but if it was my job and my role, I would play against teenagers and I would play against you.”
Antonelli has quickly risen to his current F2 position and has maintained the support of Wolff, who took him in an F1 car for the first time last month at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
He will test the Mercedes W12 at scheduled events, with further dates to be added later this year.
At Suzuka, Wolff said he was willing to wait before naming Hamilton’s successor, hinting that perhaps Antonelli would be given the option to prove himself in further tests. “We have not made a decision yet and do not plan to make one in the coming weeks,” Wolff said.
“The driver market is very dynamic and some of our really good talent is close to signing with other teams. “We want to continue these discussions and keep all options open, but it is still too early to name a driver, whether he is very young or very experienced.”
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