3 days Ago
motorsport boss Toto Wolff says he will take “as long as possible” before committing to who will replace Ferrari-bound at the Formula 1 team next year. The German manufacturer is pondering whether to promote its protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli alongside , or continue its quest of luring triple world champion , who is contracted to Red Bull until 2028 but could consider leaving the team before then amid an internal power battle at the energy drinks giant. Wolff has previously stated that, rather than trying to lure Verstappen with promises, the Brackley-based team’s focus needs to be on improving the pace of its troubled W15 challenger.
Then, he suggests, the best drivers would automatically be attracted. While the early run of races in 2024 proved to be difficult for Mercedes, back-to-back podiums in Canada and Spain have provided hope that the squad is finally close to making a breakthrough. Asked if the performance Mercedes has shown in the last two rounds was now enough to convince Verstappen to jump ship, Wolff reiterated Mercedes’ stance that it needs to focus on extracting more speed out of the W15.
He said: “I think we need to just continue to improve and look at ourselves, most importantly, as a team with our drivers, Lewis and George. “We've just got to get better and hopefully consolidate our ability to get on the podium and, at a certain stage, be able to win races on our own, and good drivers will want to come." Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Merced.
