P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Wow! It didn’t take Toto Wolff long to make up his mind on this.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff shared that it took him just five minutes to decide on a replacement for Lewis Hamilton after Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari. Wolff was initially surprised by Hamilton’s decision but reacted pragmatically, eventually settling on 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the new driver for 2025. While Mercedes had been linked to other drivers like Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen, Wolff publicly expressed his pursuit of Verstappen as the ideal choice for the team. As Mercedes now pairs Antonelli with George Russell for next season, Wolff expressed his satisfaction with this driver lineup. The terms of Antonelli’s contract remain undisclosed, leaving room for Wolff to potentially pursue Verstappen for the 2026 season. Wolff emphasized the importance of allowing Russell and Antonelli to settle in before determining future contract terms, trusting that they are the best choices for Mercedes.
