Former F1 Driver Advises Wolff On Hamilton Replacement Decision: 'Put him Off'

Sunday, 14 July 2024 at 22:00

Former F1 driver Christian Danner discussed what he would do if he were the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, trying to decide which driver to place in his car for 2025.

Toto Wolff learned ahead of the 2024 season that Lewis Hamilton will leave for Ferrari at the end of it. This means he needs to find a suitable replacement for the seven-time World Champion before the start of the 2025 season.

Having that in mind, the Mercedes team principal hasn't been rushing his decision at all. It seems the primary target of the Austrian was to attract Max Verstappen from Red Bull.

However, the Dutchman doesn't seem to be too keen on leaving the team from Milton Keynes at the moment. So what should Toto Wolff do now? Former F1 driver Christian Danner told Motorsport Magazin:

"Toto now has to decide who is really the best for me? And, of course, that is Carlos Sainz; we don't even need to talk about it."

One of the main reasons Wolff can delay his decision for as long as he wants is he can always put Andrea Kimi Antonelli (who currently drives in F2) into Hamilton's seat.

However, Danner does not see Antonelli as a suitable replacement despite his success during the most recent British Grand Prix weekend. "I'd put him [Antonelli] off, Kimi can also be parked for another year."

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Advice For Sainz

Wolff isn't the only person in the paddock who is postponing the big decision for as long as he can. Carlos Sainz is doing the same, as he perhaps still hopes to sign with Mercedes.

If he doesn't sign with Mercedes, Sainz's only remaining options are Williams, Sauber, Alpine, and Haas. Neither of these teams is in the top five fighting for podium finishes at the moment.

"Carlos knows that all the options he has - with the exception of the Mercedes option, which is now reopening - put him in a car where he will be back at Toro Rosso level. That's not quite what he wants."

"That is certainly the reason why he is currently intensifying his talks with Mercedes. Logically linked to the enthusiasm that the car is now at least de facto capable of winning again."

Danner sees signing with Mercedes as the only thing that can save the 29-year-old's career at this point in time, as he believes that joining a team in the bottom five inevitably destroys his chances of coming back to the top.

"If he wins races in 2025, is really up there, and drives on a par with Russell, do you think Mercedes will put Antonelli in the car without any need? Not at all!"

"If I were him, I would definitely do that, the rest will fizzle out. He'll disappear somewhere and then nobody will need him anymore. That's just how it is in Formula 1."