Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, is constantly preparing for the team’s long-term goals. The choice made by Wolff has put Logan Sargeant, a struggling Formula One driver, at risk of losing his position. Mercedes is making plans for Lewis Hamilton’s replacement, which may result in Sargeant being dropped from the competition.
Sargeant has had a terrible 2024 campaign. The American is now in last place in the driver standings, has never finished higher than 14th, and is in danger of being phased out because his contract expires at the end of 2024. The Williams driver, who made his Formula One debut last year, has struggled to adjust to the sport, and rumors of his possible departure are growing.
Mercedes team principal Wolff is said to want up-and-coming star Andrea Kimi Antonelli to join the team, although not until he has gained experience in Formula One elsewhere. One of the options Wolff and his team are currently considering is to sign Antonelli to Williams before moving him to Mercedes later in his racing career.
According to F1 journalist Joe Saward, if Antonelli is signed with Mercedes, he will be loaned to Williams as a replacement for Sargeant, as stated by GB Blog. It is most likely to occur at the conclusion of the 2024 season because Antonelli does not turn 18 until August and is therefore not yet qualified for a super license, even though no timeline has yet been set for this move.
In recent months, Antonelli has been closely collaborating with Wolff and Mercedes, having test-driven an old 2021 W12 vehicle in Austria. Wolff stated, “[The test] will be conducted with a 2021 car. We want to give him a sense of what a truly excellent automobile feels like, and then we’ll put him in the 2022 car to see the difference!”
I’m quite eager and delighted to see him in a Formula One car. He has been with us since he was 11 years old. I have a picture of him standing next to me on the center console as a little boy in go-karting, and it fills me with pride to witness his growth into a Formula One driver.”
Mercedes seems to view Antonelli as their long-term heir to Lewis Hamilton, with the seven-time champion moving to Ferrari at the conclusion of the season. Hamilton still has some time left at the Silver Arrows, but after another disappointing performance at the Chinese GP, both parties may be looking forward to a new beginning, with Antonelli probably providing the Silver Arrows a new lease on life.
