TOTO WOLFF has dropped his biggest hint yet as to who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
It was revealed in February that Hamilton would be joining Ferrari in a shock move worth £100million.
2
Wolff has dropped the biggest hint yet as to who will replace Lewis HamiltonCredit: Rex
It ended an 11 year association between Hamilton and Mercedes which began in 2013.
All eyes have been on who Mercedes will announce as Hamilton’s replacement with Carlos Sainz being the current favourite to take his place in an informal swap deal.
Max Verstappen would also be in demand should he leave Red Bull amid the fallout of Christian Horner’s scandal.
The rumour mill was also sent into overdrive after Wolff was pictured having breakfast with Fernando Alonso’s boss Flavio Briatore in February.
But Wolff has surprisingly named 17-year-old F2 driver Kimi Antonelli as the person in the “strongest position” to take over at Mercedes.
Wolff told F1TV: “[Antonelli] is definitely a very strong contender. I want to see how his F2 season develops, but we will wait and see what happens with some of the other drivers in F1. I don’t doubt his raw speed, talent and ability.
“We wouldn’t have supported him from go-karting until now if we didn’t believe that he has the potential to go into F1 and do so with Mercedes. Many young drivers have shown in the past that you can do that step.
“My feeling at the moment is that I don’t want to rush [the decision], because Kimi is part of the ideas for next year and is very much in the strongest position, and that’s why we don’t need to rush into any other decision.
2
Wolff has identified 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli as a potential Mercedes driverCredit: Getty
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
“Obviously, some of the other top drivers are going to make a decision on what to do soon, but there’s a feeling that points me in a direction not to take the decision too quickly.”
Wolff talking up the prospect of Antonelli joining suggests that a driver coming in would play second fiddle to George Russell but that could change.
The richest Wags in F1 revealed with some earning thousands from Instagram
Antonelli races for Formula 2 team Prema and competes with Ferrari’s own wonderkid Oliver Bearman.
Wolff confirmed Mercedes would allow Antonelli to get some experience with a Formula One car later this month, saying: “We want to give him the feeling of what a really good car looks like. And then we are going to put him in the 2022 car to see what the difference is.
“I’m really keen and happy to see [Antonelli] in a F1 car. He’s been with us since he was 11.
“I have a picture of him standing next to me on the centre console as a baby boy in go karting and now to witness that development into a F1 driver is something that I’m really proud of.”
Antonelli will undergo a two-day test on April 16 and 17 and will be desperate to boss Mercedes bosses.
News
Inside David and Victoria’s purple Robin Hood-themed 1999 wedding with baby Brooklyn and famous thrones
DAVID and Victoria Beckham have been spotted sorting out the last minute preparations for their son Brooklyn’s wedding. It comes two decades after the celebrity couple were…
Victoria Beckham shares sweet family snaps as she prepares for ‘an exciting weekend’ ahead of Brooklyn’s wedding
VICTORIA Beckham has gushed over the family’s “exciting weekend” with a sweet series of snaps as eldest son Brooklyn prepares to get married. The photographer, 23, who…
Brooklyn Beckham surprises fiancée Nicola with tattoo dedicated to her late grandmother
Brooklyn Beckham has touched the heart of his fiancée Nicola Peltz by getting a tattoo tribute to her late grandmother, Gina. The 22-year-old celebrity offspring of David and Victoria…
How Victoria Beckham is coaching Harper, 12, for stardom – A-list pals to designer wardrobe
Victoria Beckham is said to be giving daughter Harper a crash course in how be a successful A-Lister – but it seems talent has nothing to do…
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz’s hand-written note for Selena Gomez as she quits social media
Selena Gomez has given a glimpse inside her friendship with Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham, sharing a note that she was seemingly left at their home. The actor, 31,…
Brooklyn Beckham drops huge cooking bombshell ahead of first restaurant opening
Brooklyn Beckham has sensationally revealed that he has never been professionally taught how to cook, despite opening his first restaurant in just a few days. According to the…
End of content
No more pages to load