Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that using the Lewis Hamilton “blueprint” inspired the decision not to give Andrea Kimi Antonelli his Formula 1 debut in 2024.
The German marque announced last weekend at the Italian Grand Prix that Antonelli has been selected as the driver to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton in 2025.
However, there were reports that Antonelli could make his F1 bow this season as Williams tried to exempt Antonelli, 17 at the time, from F1’s minimum age regulation.
But while Williams elected to drop Logan Sargeant before the round at Monza, the Grove-based squad’s mid-season change has seen Franco Colapinto parachuted in.
Meanwhile, Antonelli will continue to combine his maiden Formula 2 campaign, where he’s won twice, with his testing programme in previous-spec Mercedes F1 cars.
Wolff has disclosed that the desire not to rush Antonelli’s ascent to F1 and ensure he is as prepared as possible was behind the choice to take him out of the running.
He explained how Mercedes views Hamilton utilising extensive F1 testing to come close to clinching the title in his rookie season in 2007 as a template with Antonelli.
“When you look at the blueprint back in the day that Lewis gave, it was a lot of testing to prepare not only for the driving, but also going through the race weekend preparation,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week.
“So that program is going to continue.
“When thinking about an opportunity at Williams, we opted to continue with our program and continuing to educate Kimi, finishing with another FP1 session [in Mexico].
“And then doing Abu Dhabi [with the post-season test] and taking it from there.
“I think the more kilometres you do – especially in a car that isn’t great, the TPC car was not our best car – it’s going to get him between 15 and 20 days under his belt, and that’s important.”
Antonelli made his F1 weekend debut on home soil last weekend, but his appearance ended with him putting the Mercedes W15 in the barrier on his second push lap.
However, Wolff, who called his protege’s exploits “astonishing” prior to the shunt, believes the most important thing is that the Italian showed he possesses the speed.
“Raw talent he definitely has,” Wolff said. “And an ability that you can’t train.
“It’s easier to make someone calm down in terms of aggressiveness than the other way around… George [Russell] already mentioned it, you can’t make somebody quick.
“Then it’s on us to try to help, try to condition Kimi that every lap doesn’t need to be like this.
“James Allison [Mercedes Technical Director] actually said when he launched himself at the first lap yesterday, the first braking into the chicane he had both tyres into the grass already.
“So the difference between free practice and qualifying we have to discuss!
“But that’s also Kimi. He’s putting the car into the ground and be able to crush – crush it, not crash it – it on the first lap is a great ability.”
