P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen was a target, but eventually Mercedes boss signed Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton.
Toto Wolff has revealed the reasoning behind the decision to promote Kimi Antonelli directly into an F1 race seat at Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming season alongside George Russell. Wolff had considered luring Max Verstappen to Mercedes for 2025 but Verstappen will be staying at Red Bull for at least one more season. Antonelli’s appointment as a Mercedes driver for 2025 was announced at the Italian GP, breaking the tradition of an apprenticeship at another team before joining the Silver Arrows. Wolff emphasized the importance of keeping Antonelli “fresh” without external experiences to maintain a unified team approach. While Mercedes had expressed interest in signing Verstappen, the timing wasn’t right, making Antonelli the best choice to kick off a new chapter for the team.
