P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes form leaves Wolff in two minds on F1 2025 driver path
Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari for next year has left Mercedes searching for a new teammate for George Russell. The team faces a choice between recruiting an experienced driver to improve performance immediately, or focusing on developing their young talent, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, for the long term. While Mercedes has been linked with Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, the team understands that convincing them to join will depend on their current performance levels. Team principal Toto Wolff believes they are in a rebuild phase and must consider their strategy carefully to move forward. Mercedes has been increasing private test days for Antonelli to prepare him for a potential role in F1, with his first run in a 2021 car scheduled before the Chinese Grand Prix. The team will closely monitor the situation with other drivers like Verstappen before making a final decision on their lineup for the upcoming season.
