Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff has insisted the squad’s resurgent type within the final two Method 1 races is not going to affect its decision-making course of when selecting Lewis Hamilton‘s alternative.
The Brackley-based outfit had skilled a continuation of its struggles from the previous two years initially of the season, discovering itself off the tempo in comparison with Purple Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.
However quite a few key updates, starting with an upgraded entrance wing rushed to the Monaco Grand Prix, has propelled Mercedes forward of Ferrari and into the battle with Purple Bull and McLaren, punctuated early on by George Russell‘s pole place and podium in Canada.
A primary victory since Brazil 2022 got here the Briton’s method on the Austrian Grand Prix as he took benefit of the conflict between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, however there was no denying the advantage of Hamilton’s drought-breaking triumph at Silverstone final weekend, which got here after the group locked out the entrance row in qualifying.
Hamilton leaves the group for Ferrari on the finish of the season in a transfer introduced earlier than the present marketing campaign had began, but Wolff has been in no rush to decide on a alternative for the seven-time champion.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been proper within the body for a promotion after only one F2 season, such is his expertise, however requested if the 2 consecutive race wins will have an effect on the method of deciding who joins Russell, Wolff replied: “It does not affect our considering.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli drives Mercedes W12
“I’ve at all times mentioned we want a automobile that goes fast and when we have now a automobile that goes fast, we put the motive force in and we get attention-grabbing. Fascinating for a lot of drivers.
“However, in a method, I believe we have to keep calm and proceed the season, proceed to concentrate on the automobile after which take a look at whether or not the choices are nonetheless the identical and… but it surely’s not like this [winning races is] altering every part and [turning] the wrong way up.”
Numerous drivers can be found to fill the emptiness, with Carlos Sainz re-emerging as a possible candidate in current weeks.
Antonelli had didn’t make his mark throughout his rookie F2 season having skipped F3 – although as Wolff identified, all the Prema group, together with Haas’ confirmed 2025 driver Oliver Bearman, has struggled for type.
The Austrian had prompt forward of the British Grand Prix that Antonelli wanted to “be taught to swim” and “carry out in chilly water”, a message immediately – and actually – responded to by the Italian who blitzed the sphere to win the F2 dash race in sodden situations earlier than he was punted out on the opening lap of the characteristic race.
Explaining the end result was “so essential”, Wolff added: “F2 is so tough this yr as a result of the automobile… you’ll be able to see that him and Bearman are struggling quite a bit with the automobile and he is not glad together with his driving and never [having] the tempo within the race.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Prema Racing
Picture by: Prema Powerteam
“However seeing him on Saturday strolling over the water, at occasions two seconds faster than everyone else, you’ll be able to see the expertise and the flexibility and the potential this younger man has. Profitable that race I believe took lots of weight off his shoulders. At present it was a DNF but it surely wasn’t his fault.”
Antonelli stood alongside Wolff throughout Hamilton’s victory on Sunday and Wolff revealed: “I had this second the place you see the best British driver testing with us on the British Grand Prix and within the storage, you will have this younger Italian that hasn’t acquired a driving licence even, that was watching that scene, and I guess he thought, ‘I need to be that sooner or later’.
“Possibly not right here, perhaps Monza.”
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