Surprise that Wolff choose Antonelli over Sainz: "Why take the risk?"
Mercedes will appear at the start of the new season next year with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the W16, with the latter set to make his debut in the premier class of motorsport, replacing Lewis Hamilton. However, Marc Surer does not understand why team boss Toto Wolff - in his view - is taking so much risk by going for the 18-year-old Italian.
Hamilton announced early this calendar year that he would be leaving for Ferrari, and at the Italian Grand Prix, Antonelli was announced as the seven-time world champion's successor. Wolff was angling for the services of Verstappen, but he decided to stay loyal to Red Bull. Carlos Sainz was also available at the time and, according to Surer, that would have been a much more logical choice.
Sainz instead of Antonelli?
The former Formula 1 driver says in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com: "I would have taken him [Sainz] at Mercedes. Why take the risk now with a youngster when you probably had the chance to put him at Williams, like they did with Russell? So I agree with his father, Carlos, that what has happened here does not make sense."
Sainz's father, Carlos Sainz Sr., said months ago that he thought it was a strange move by Mercedes: "It is hard to digest that a multiple Grand Prix winner practically ends up with a rearguard team," Surer continued to say. Sainz won four races in his career, including two in 2024. In Australia and Mexico, he crossed the finish line first.
At Williams, Sainz will reportedly not compete for wins and podiums. This year, the British racing stable finished penultimate in the World Championship, finishing with just 17 points.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
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Personally i am glad that Mercedes decided to give Kimi the ride. We need new blood in the series and next year we are going to get that. I like Carlos and would have thought a top team would grab him but that didn't happen.
As the saying goes, "his reputation (and track records) preceeds him". Lets compare junior records. Sainz : 2 Karting championships and 2 single seater titles in 5 years of single seater cars before coming to F1. Antonelli : 13 karting championships and 5 titles in 3 years in single seaters. Fantastic drivers do not suddenly become bad when they get into F1 See the records of Max, Charles, George, Piastri and Lando. Their junior championship records points to them being great drivers, and it is proven correct.
I thought the drive was offered to Carlos on a one year deal, but Carlos wanted more ?!!
Ah right, you mean as George's b*tch ? The old saying about milk, 'the cream always rises to the top' I know you'll have your own opinion but for me, and not in any particular order, some of the Cream is... Max...Brazil drove like a superstar, AD drove like a ?? Lewis... Brazil drove like a ?? AD drove like a superstar Charles.... More aggression needed and keep the chin up George...lose the arrogance and listen to the pitwall Lando...swimming at the bottom of the cream Oscar...just about to rise to the cream I could go on but I've just written a War and Peace reply to racefan and me arms worn out ? chat later
Nope, not about being RUS's b*tch as you say. BOT, despite the fact that he served MB well playing, as you would say, HAM's b*tch, got for 5 years straight only 1 year contracts. Not the best way to show some appreciation to your driver. No driver wants that. On top of that, blaming publicly BOT for something he wasn't to blame for -> Monaco 2021. No driver wants that either.
No thats a fair point J41L ? and not quite sure why I wrote the previous entire comment, I think I wanted to reply to a posted comment and latched onto yours instead...what a plonker ?
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