Is Wolff anticipating Verstappen becoming available? 'Instincts tell me'
F1 News
Toto Wolff isn't rushing to sign a replacement driver for Lewis Hamilton, who will leave Mercedes after the 2024 Formula 1 season. The Mercedes team boss reveals he has "something instinctive", which tells him not to rush into making a decision, hinting that he feels there's still a chance Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull Racing.
Wolff still regards Max Verstappen as the 'strongest driver in the best car'. With Red Bull still at the top of both World Championships, it would seem Verstappen has no reason to leave on the face of it. However, the Brackley-based team is not giving in easily, especially since the balance of power seems to be changing with themselves and McLaren pushing Red Bull more often.
Along with Verstappen, Wolff has his eyes on junior Kimi Antonelli, who is currently competing in his debut Formula 2 season. In an interview with Sky Sports, he first assesses the latest situation with him.
How Wolff sees the driver market developing
"It's a data decision. When you look at Kimi, the team [Prema] hasn't really found a good grip this year which can happen. He's seventh and Bearman, who's clearly a very good driver, is 14th. They both struggle with the car. It's not saying that one is better than the other one, but they've struggled with the car in specific sessions. We see what he's doing in the F1 car. That's the most important," Wolff said.
However, Wolff isn't keen to make the decision as he knows from previous experiences how the situation can change quickly. "There is something instinctive that tells me don't rush and I can't even tell you what it is. I had a really good relationship with a driver called Nico Rosberg, who was at the peak of his career. Winning a championship and then he said I don't want this anymore. Things can happen," Wolff said.