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Toto Wolff recently named two drivers who could replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Though Ferrari's driver Carlos Sainz is currently a free agent, Wolff did not mention his name.
Before the 2024 F1 season began, Ferrari confirmed that they were going to hire Lewis Hamilton in 2025. The seven-time world champion will replace Carlos Sainz in the Italian team next year. This forced Sainz to look for a new team to continue his journey in F1.
Meanwhile, Mercedes were slightly surprised by the move as they started looking for a competent driver for 2025. Right after Hamilton's announcement was made, several reports claimed that Sainz was contacted by the Silver Arrows and that a driver switch could happen between them and Ferrari.
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The Spaniard, however, had other suitors like Williams and Audi as well. Hence, he decided to take his time to decide the best option for his future. As the 2024 season progressed, Mercedes' interest in Sainz diminished drastically.
Recently, Toto Wolff spoke with Autosport World and named Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen as drivers who could potentially replace Hamilton in 2025. He did not mention Sainz's name as a potential option.
The Austrian billionaire praised Kimi Antonelli and stated that he would be a great fit for the Silver Arrows. On the other hand, Wolff also mentioned Verstappen but added that he was an unrealistic option, especially since Red Bull was still one of the fastest on the grid.
"The criteria for our next rider are simple: we want the best rider available. At the moment my first option is Kimi Antonelli. Of course there are risks. They are not so much in his talents as a rider, but Antonelli would be exposed to the media and the skills of George Russell, one of the best riders on the grid. But Kimi has a lot of potential. His speed and talent are already at a certain level, he just misses the experience," Wolff said
"An alternative scenario is, of course, Verstappen, but at the moment that does not seem realistic to me," the Mercedes honcho added.
Toto Wolff on how Mercedes wants to mimic McLaren driver's rise to glory story with Kimi Antonelli
Toto Wolff explained how Mercedes wants to hire Kimi Antonelli and push him to the top of the F1 ladder similar to what McLaren was currently doing with Oscar Piastri.
Speaking to Autosport World, Wolff said that though hiring the Italian youngster would be a risk, it would be a calculated one. He added that he wanted to take Antonelli on the same path Piastri took with McLaren and won his first race within two years.
"Other drivers would then sign a one or two year contract, which is not enough for us. So I like to take a risk with Antonelli because it is a calculated risk. If you look at the progress of Piastri (McLaren), it took him a year and a half to compete for the victory at the level of teammate Lando Norris. We want to try that with Kimi too," Wolff said.
"In 2025, with the prospect of the changes in 2026, we are still in transition. So it's a good season to put him on our team," he added.
As of now, the Brackley-based team has not officially announced who will replace Lewis Hamilton in the 2025 F1 season.
