Wolff slammed for Wolff slammed for Hamilton REPLACEMENT...

Wolff slammed for
Wolff slammed for Hamilton REPLACEMENT Read more….

Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, has come under fire from former Formula 1 star Juan Pablo Montoya over his decision to replace Lewis Hamilton with 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 season. Montoya criticized the choice, believing it places the young Italian driver in a difficult position, considering the immense expectations surrounding him.

Hamilton, who has been with Mercedes for 12 years, is set to leave the team at the end of this season. His final race with the Silver Arrows will take place in Abu Dhabi, marking the conclusion of a remarkable era. Despite some strong performances in 2024, including victories at Silverstone and Spa, Hamilton has struggled for consistency this season, and he is currently seventh in the drivers’ standings, 24 points behind teammate George Russell.

In a bold move, Mercedes has decided to bring Antonelli, who is still in the early stages of his career, to replace Hamilton in 2025. The 18-year-old has shown promise in Formula 2, particularly with a standout victory in the feature race in Budapest. However, his relatively short career raises questions about whether he is ready to fill the massive shoes of a seven-time world champion so early in his journey.

Montoya, a seven-time Grand Prix winner, expressed concerns about the pressure Antonelli will face, arguing that it’s a risky decision to place him in such a high-profile role at this stage of his career. He pointed out that Antonelli might have developed into a solid driver without the weight of replacing Hamilton, but the hype surrounding his promotion complicates matters. Montoya believes that Mercedes might have been better off choosing a more experienced driver who could manage the pressure of replacing Hamilton.

The decision to promote Antonelli also raises questions about Mercedes’ strategy. Montoya suggests that Wolff may have been motivated by the desire to justify the choice to sponsors and stakeholders. He speculates that Mercedes could have pursued a more established driver like Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz but instead chose Antonelli to represent the future of the team. Wolff has praised Antonelli’s potential, highlighting his impressive testing performances and F2 success, but Montoya argues that the young driver has not yet proven himself to be exceptional in the way that Wolff’s statements suggest.

The decision to replace Hamilton with Antonelli also reflects the broader expectations that Mercedes has for the future of their team. While the young driver has shown flashes of brilliance, the gamble on his readiness to take on such a prestigious role has raised doubts in the minds of some, including Montoya, who believes a more experienced driver would have been a safer choice for the team in 2025.