Few minutes ago; Mercedes Lewis Hamilton ‘experience’ admission as huge Ferrari switch looms…
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
Despite predicting a shot of “momentum” to arrive with Kimi Antonelli, Toto Wolff admits Mercedes will miss the experience of Lewis Hamilton at times.
Hamilton and Mercedes have achieved record-breaking success together, Hamilton winning six of his seven titles in a period of eight straight Constructors’ Championship triumphs for Mercedes between 2014-21. However, this partnership is approaching its end.
Mercedes admit Lewis Hamilton ‘experience’ to be missed at times
From F1 2025, Hamilton will sport the red of Ferrari after agreeing a multi-year deal to head for Maranello, Mercedes promoting their Italian teenage sensation Antonelli as Hamilton’s F1 2025 replacement, as he prepares to partner George Russell.
This youthful freshness appeals to Wolff, though he did not deny that on the flipside, there will be times where they could benefit from the experience of Hamilton – F1’s most statistically successful driver – which they will lose.
“I think we have had a great experience with Lewis over the last 12 years. He will always be part of the family,” Wolff is quoted by the Italian arm of Motorsport.com.
“But of course, as a competitor, when we try to beat him next year, Kimi will join George, bringing with him a momentum as well as youth and freshness.
“You can feel the smile in the team when you have an 18-year-old on board a car. But having said that, of course, there will be times when Lewis’ experience would benefit the team.
“Kimi will have a steep learning curve, but it is absolutely the right thing to do for the team and there is no one who would have done otherwise.”
Hamilton’s exit will leave huge boots to fill for Antonelli, but he has had plenty of conversations with the seven-time World Champion and has been given the chance to look over his data, which led to an interesting discovery, a very positive one for Antonelli and Mercedes.
“He’s very nice and talks to me a lot,” Antonelli said of Hamilton when speaking with Sky Sport Italy at the Festival dello Sport.
“And looking at the data, his driving style seems similar to mine.
“I was in Singapore and listening to him talk to the engineers – I learned a lot.”
Antonelli made his F1 debut with Mercedes in FP1 at Monza, and will be back in the W15 in Mexico.
