Ex-Formula 1 champion Jenson Button Warns Toto Wolff About...

Ex-Formula 1 champion Jenson Button Warns Toto Wolff About Lewis Hamilton’s…Read More

Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button has issued a stark warning to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff regarding the potential replacement of Lewis Hamilton with 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli. Button believes that such a move could have severe consequences for the young Italian driver’s career.

Antonelli, who turns 18 this Sunday, is currently viewed as the frontrunner to replace Hamilton at Mercedes, with Hamilton’s anticipated move to Ferrari for the 2025 season gaining traction. As Mercedes gears up to reveal who will partner George Russell from 2025 onwards, the possibility of Antonelli stepping into the shoes of the seven-time world champion has sparked significant debate within the F1 community.

Button, who himself made his F1 debut at the age of 20, knows firsthand the pressures that come with entering the sport at a young age. Reflecting on his own experience, Button cautioned that the immense pressure of replacing a driver of Hamilton’s caliber could potentially harm Antonelli’s career. Despite the Italian being touted as the next Max Verstappen, Button emphasized that teams must carefully consider the timing of such a significant promotion.

“The teams, I think they need to really think about what they’re doing to a driver in his career at that age,” Button stated, drawing a parallel with Ferrari-backed Oliver Bearman’s impending move to Haas for the next season. “If he blossoms, great, but with the pressures that this sport brings, it can destroy a driver’s career as well. So there’s a real balance there and teams need to be careful with it.”

Button’s perspective is shaped by his own experience as one of the youngest drivers to enter F1. In 2000, he made his debut with Williams at the Australian Grand Prix when he was just 20 years old. Despite facing skepticism from critics, including former F1 driver Martin Brundle, who publicly questioned whether Button was too young for the sport, Button nearly secured points in his debut race. He was running in sixth place, which back then was the final points-scoring position, before being forced to retire with 11 laps remaining due to engine failure.

“I remember, even Martin Brundle said, ‘It’s too young for him,'” Button recalled in an interview with RacingNews365. “But it was right to say that I was very young. I had hardly any testing because the engines kept blowing up. So I didn’t have enough mileage to get a super license, but they gave me it. I went and crashed in Melbourne in practice, and it was like ‘See, we told you!'”

Despite the early struggles, Button maintained that entering F1 at a young age was the right decision for him, but he acknowledged the risks involved. “I don’t think it was too early, I think you have to take every opportunity when it comes to you, especially for youngsters at 17, 18 or 19. You can’t say no!” he added.

As for Wolff, he has remained somewhat reserved on the subject of Antonelli potentially joining Mercedes in 2025. While acknowledging the young driver’s talents, Wolff has not committed to any decisions yet. In June, Wolff mentioned that the team is closely monitoring Antonelli’s progress, particularly in his performances in Formula 2, where he is being measured against his teammate, Oliver Bearman, who is seen as a benchmark for young drivers.

“We’re leaving the second seat open for the moment, we don’t want to take a decision,” Wolff explained. “He’s doing a great job in testing with us in F1, he’s good in F2 – the teammate (Bearman) is the benchmark. So yeah, we’re observing.”

The cautious approach by Wolff suggests that Mercedes is aware of the high stakes involved in promoting a young driver to replace a legend like Hamilton. While Antonelli’s future remains uncertain, what is clear is that the decision will not be taken lightly, as the team balances the potential benefits against the risks of thrusting a young talent into the F1 spotlight too soon.

As F1 returns from its summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, all eyes will be on Mercedes and their strategic decisions as they prepare for a future without Lewis Hamilton.