Mercedes Readies Young Star Antonelli for 2023 Season

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has high expectations for rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, predicting he will keep pace with George Russell during his debut season. The Italian’s rapid promotion comes as a result of Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari, accelerating a seven-year plan that began within Mercedes’ junior ranks.

A Long-Term Replacement for Hamilton

Antonelli’s swift elevation marks the culmination of a seven-year project and, despite his youthful age of 18, Wolff is confident in his ability to challenge Russell from the outset. “When we chose Kimi,” Wolff explained during Mercedes‘ season kickoff on Melbourne’s St Kilda beach, “it was evident that we were opting for a young driver who has demonstrated exceptional potential in the junior series since we first encountered him.”

For Antonelli, the focus is on development, learning the tracks, and preparing for the regulation changes set to take effect in 2026. “That means great results and moments where it will be challenging,” Wolff added. He reassured Russell that he won’t be expected to dominate every race against his new teammate. “I told George: ‘We don’t expect you to crush Kimi all the time,'” Wolff shared.

Despite the steep learning curve, Wolff believes Antonelli will prove himself a formidable competitor alongside Russell. “In terms of speed,” he asserted, “Kimi is going to be right up there with George.” However, there’s much more to master, such as tire management and development.

A Promising Driver Duo

With Antonelli and Russell both under 30 years old, Wolff anticipates a fierce yet productive rivalry between the two. “We have a driver combination of one very young driver, 18 years old, and another young driver, 27 years old,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll push each other, and push each other strong.”

No Room for Verstappen in Mercedes’ Plans

With homegrown talents Russell and Antonelli now at the helm, Wolff has ruled out any immediate interest in Max Verstappen. “We need to concentrate on our driver line-up,” he stated. “We need to do the best that we have. I don’t flirt outside if we’re having a good relationship. And that is true for this year too. So at the moment, that is not on our radar.”