Toto Wolff admits Mercedes ‘learnt it’s lesson’ by keeping George Russell at Williams for too long
George Russell had to spend three years at Williams to prove himself whereas Kimi Antonelli would make his debut with Mercedes.
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Toto Wolff, and George Russell (via IMAGO)
Kimi Antonelli appears to be the next big thing in F1. The Italian kid has soared in headlines recently as his move to Mercedes was made official at the Italian GP weekend. However, his announcement raised debates on how the German marque was hypocritical as George Russell had to prove himself at Williams but Antonelli did not have to go through the same. This urged Toto Wolff to reveal why he fast-tracked the Italian.
George Russell had trophy cabinets filled with accolades and won multiple championships as a rookie. With such a strong CV, experts anticipated that the Brit would go to a top team but he joined Williams, a team that scored a solitary point in 2019. On the other hand, though Kimi Antonelli‘s cabinet is also filled with trophies, he has skipped the F3 championship altogether and is near the top positions in the driver’s standings in F2.
Despite this stark difference, Antonelli is confirmed to make his debut with Mercedes next year, while the senior Brit had to wait for three years before he was promoted to the factory team.
Maybe we’ve learned a lesson as George was maybe too long at Williams. He made some of the mistakes at Williams, where he was also visible. Now we fast-tracked Kimi and the mistakes are going to be more visible because it’s in a Mercedes. But we’re absolutely ready for that investment.Toto Wolff said in an interview as quoted by RacingNews365
Toto Wolff revealed the reason behind this difference in treatment as he claimed that he learned his lesson by letting Russell wait at Williams in inferior machinery. Subsequently, he did not want to repeat the mistake he made with the 26-year-old and ensured that the young Italian was given his big chance with the factory team as it was a long-term investment.
George Russell explains why Kimi Antonelli was the best bet for Mercedes
Some may speculate that Russell might hold grudges against Mercedes for making him wait three years when the German marque was dominating. The Brit has shown that he is happy for the 18-year-old to get his chance with a works-team.
Subsequently, the Englishman elaborated on why the Italian was chosen as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton.
When I look back to when I was 18 years old, there’s obviously so much to learn. But I think, as a driver, you have the speed or you don’t have the speed, and I’m very confident Kimi has the speed... I’ve no doubt Kimi’s going to learn from [his FP1 at Monza].George Russell via F1
Russell admitted that some mistakes are inevitable due to the lack of experience. However, starting at a young age would help Antonelli hone his skills with support from a manufacturer like Mercedes. He then asserted that the 18-year-old has the speed and the projected growth, which sealed his move to Brackley.
Apart from this, the F2 driver is often labeled as the next Max Verstappen owing to his young age. Thus, if Antonelli left a big impression on the paddock with his skills next year, Mercedes would have struck the jackpot by promoting the Italian to the grid in a factory outfit.
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Geetansh Pasricha
(772 Articles Published)