Toto Wolff says that Mercedes’ present “rebuild part”, throughout which it goals to show round its fortunes, might justify placing its younger protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli in one in every of its automobiles subsequent season.
Over two years into Components 1’s present ground-effect rules, frustration nonetheless hangs heavy over the Mercedes storage.
Whereas the porpoising points that plagued the workforce from the outset in 2022 have been largely resolved final season, a brand new set of gremlins have crept on this yr within the type of correlation points which are hindering Mercedes’ capacity to faucet into the complete potential of its W15 contender.
Nonetheless, Wolff stays centered on the lengthy recreation. Acknowledging his outfit’s struggles, the Austrian has declared Mercedes to be in a “rebuild part” throughout which it goals to know its present automotive’s shortcomings and use these learnings to develop a stronger challenger for 2025 however particularly for F1’s upcoming regulatory shift in 2026.
Hypothesis is rife relating to who will fill Lewis Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes when the Briton switches his allegiance to Ferrari on the finish of the season.
Carlos Sainz, the person Hamilton is changing on the Scuderia looks as if essentially the most logical selection, however Wolff has repeatedly talked up Antonelli’s prospects.
And Mercedes’ “rebuild part” might present the younger Italian with the fitting atmosphere by which to kick begin his profession in F1, in line with Wolff.
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“I feel you may have a look at it from varied views,” Wolff defined, quoted by Motorsport Week.
“I consider that we’re in a rebuild part. It’s essential acknowledge that now three years into these rules we’ve got received to do issues in another way than we’ve got completed prior to now with out throwing overboard what we consider is goodness in the way in which we function.
“Rebuild might imply placing a younger driver in there and giving him a chance with much less strain and combating for victories instantly or placing a extra skilled driver within the automotive that may assist us dig ourselves out of the present efficiency image.”
As a part of his F1 apprenticeship and parallel to his 2024 maiden marketing campaign within the FIA Components 2 Championship, Antonelli will profit from a complete check programme with Mercedes that may unfold over the approaching months.
The 17-year-old will kick off his preparations this week in Austria with a two-day acclimatization check carried out on the wheel of a 2021-spec silver arrow W12.
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“The programme of Kimi driving Components 1 has been in place for a very long time and hasn’t modified massively over the previous few weeks,” Wolff stated.
“What we’ve got completed is added extra days, however what you will note within the subsequent few months has been in place, whether or not or not he’s going to sit down in a Components 1 automotive subsequent yr.
“We’re going to do a number of of as of late for him to get comfy in an F1 automotive. He’s driving the 2021 automotive in Austria for the primary time.
“We need to give him a sense what a extremely good automotive appears like earlier than we put him within the ’22.
“Clearly, he’s been our younger boy since a very long time, with James [Vowles], and we’re eager to see what he’s capable of do in a Components 1 automotive.”
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