Toto Wolff says he made his alternative to advertise Andrea Kimi Antonelli 5 minutes after Lewis Hamilton instructed him he was leaving for Ferrari.
Hamilton shocked many in System 1 together with his determination to go away Mercedes for Ferrari, asserting the swap at the beginning of February regardless of having signed a brand new contract solely 5 months earlier. When on condition that information, Wolff says he knew he wished to place Antonelli into the seat, though delayed a ultimate determination whereas exploring the potential of attracting Max Verstappen from Crimson Bull.
“I made up my thoughts 5 minutes after Lewis Hamilton instructed me he was going to Ferrari,” Wolff mentioned. “Clearly we had been discussing with different choices, and clearly the Max concept couldn’t be discounted utterly taking a look at what occurred at Crimson Bull, however instinctively that’s the lineup that I all the time wished. Taking into account the quick monitoring that we did with Kimi and the whole lot that we did there too, however it was instantly what I wished to do.”
With Antonelli becoming a member of George Russell, Mercedes has solely confirmed its line-up for 2025 at this stage, and Wolff admits there are a number of choices in place that don’t assure the identical pairing past that time.
“These two are the long run — they’ve been and might be Mercedes drivers. Due to this fact we have now contracts with George and Kimi that go for much longer which might be very sophisticated by way of choices, and many others. It is a stress cooker, Mercedes all the time has been a stress cooker, however that is the place we stand as a staff immediately, we need to go along with these two.
“Like we have now carried out prior to now, we have now all the time had very quick contracts. Even with Lewis the final time it got here round it was one plus one. That is in a means how the staff operated. However I believe what’s most essential is to see how George and Kimi settle in, and I see no purpose at that stage not giving them the religion and the belief of going ahead.
“What which means for the phrases is one thing that we are going to talk about between ourselves, however we wouldn’t have gone for the lineup with these two if we wouldn’t consider one hundred pc that they’re the only option for Mercedes.”
Wolff has overtly spoken of his curiosity in signing Verstappen prior to now, and wouldn’t rule out a future transfer for the Dutchman even after committing to a line-up with a median age of twenty-two years previous.
“What I respect additionally in coping with them is that they’re simple and clear. I don’t flirt outdoors, I’ve all the time mentioned it. I obtained perhaps caught out by the Lewis state of affairs, however I’ve not entertained any discussions with any drivers. We’re giving all from the staff to make it successful, and for this reason all of our focus within the staff is on George and Kimi. And that’s the place I additionally stand.
“There isn’t a dialogue, there is no such thing as a second ideas about what we’re doing in 2026, as a result of now it’s about 2024 and 2025. And if flirting outdoors occurs, then they may realize it, these guys will realize it on the similar time, when we have now these discussions. I’ve all the time been open.”
