Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is currently very pleased with his new line-up. In the run-up to the new season, there were regular question marks about the recruitment of Andrea Kimi Antonelli. However, with the young Italian on board, Mercedes recorded a third and fourth place during the season opener in Melbourne. A promising result, according to Wolff, who predicts a bright future for Antonelli based on this.
Thanks in part to the unpredictable weather conditions in Australia, no less than six drivers did not finish the race, including several rookies. One of the debutants who did make it safely across the finish line was Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Italian also drove a neat race, in which he climbed from the sixteenth starting spot to P4, behind teammate George Russell. Toto Wolff is full of praise for Antonelli’s first race, in which the youngster immediately made an impression.
“He started from P16 and was lucky that a number of people dropped out,” Wolff admitted to Sky Sports. “That being said, he did make the most of his opportunities. He made up all those places one by one and – at the times when he was not stuck in traffic – he also showed a promising pace. This is how he eventually crossed the finish line in fourth place. That’s really impressive.”
A Brilliant Line-up?
“Every good driver has had a spin or brushed the wall,” Wolff continued. “It was easier not to finish than to actually cross the finish line,” he joked. “But Antonelli kept his cool, and that was simply very impressive to see. It shows that he has a bright future ahead, provided he continues to improve himself.”
The podium finish of George Russell did not go unnoticed by Toto Wolff either. After the departure of Lewis Hamilton, the Brit has taken on the leadership role. A third place in the season opener is therefore an encouraging result. “We can say a lot about Antonelli, and he deserves it, but we must not forget how good George (Russell) is. He sometimes gets more out of the car than it has, and he makes no mistakes. He has become a real leader, and we are glad he is on our team.” Thanks to the good points in Australia, Mercedes is tied for first place in the constructors’ championship ahead of the GP of China.
