Lewis Hamilton‘s resolution to hitch Ferrari for subsequent 12 months signifies that Mercedes is on the hunt for a brand new team-mate for George Russell.
And there are two completely different paths that the crew can go down: looking out essentially the most skilled driver it may well to assist its push to the entrance, or throwing all the things behind its rising junior star Andrea Kimi Antonelli to get him on top of things.
On the skilled entrance, the German producer has already been linked with Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel however is effectively conscious that its hopes of convincing them to hitch will depend upon it lifting its present efficiency ranges.
And whereas its struggles may lean it extra in the direction of choosing Antonelli as it could give the teen a while to mattress in with out strain to ship wins from the off, Wolff isn’t so satisfied that the choice is as apparent as that.
“I believe you possibly can take a look at it from numerous views,” he stated when requested in regards to the driver resolution.
“I imagine that we’re in a rebuild part. It’s essential acknowledge that now three years into these rules, we’ve got obtained to do issues in another way than we have carried out up to now with out throwing overboard what we imagine is goodness in the way in which we function.
“It may imply placing a younger driver in there and giving him a chance with much less strain than combating for victories instantly, or placing a extra skilled driver within the automobile that may assist us dig ourselves out of the present efficiency image.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Prema Racing
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Pictures
With Antonelli already a part of its junior secure, Mercedes doesn’t have to rush its resolution on what to do with the Italian – so it may well sit and wait and see how the way forward for different choices, like Verstappen, performs out.
Apparently, Mercedes has been ramping up the variety of days it desires Antonelli to run in personal checks days this 12 months to extend his familiarity with F1 equipment.
He is because of get his first run on the Pink Bull Ring in a 2021 W12 within the week earlier than the Chinese language Grand Prix, with the crew wanting to see how he performs.
Talking in regards to the plans for Antonelli, Wolff stated: “The programme of Kimi driving System 1 has been in place for a very long time and hasn’t modified massively over the previous couple of weeks.
“What we’ve got carried out is added extra days, however what you will note within the subsequent few months has been in place, whether or not or not he will sit in a System 1 automobile subsequent 12 months.
“We will do just a few of as of late for him to get comfy in an F1 automobile. He is driving the 2021 automobile in Austria for the primary time. We wish to give him a sense of what a extremely good automobile looks like earlier than we put him within the ’22!
“Clearly, he is been our younger boy since a very long time and we’re eager to see what he is capable of do in a System 1 automobile. [Ferrari reserve] Ollie Bearman was refreshing to have a look at how aggressive he was in Saudi Arabia.
“No free observe, excessive velocity, sophisticated observe, and he was proper up there. So Kimi could be doing simply effective.”
