Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has denied that Andrea Kimi Antonelli might move up to Formula 1 earlier than expected to replace Williams’ Logan Sargeant.
Mercedes is indeed thinking about a bold move to sign the Italian driver to replace Lewis Hamilton next year. However, at the moment, Antonelli must focus on his F2 campaign, and a possible switch to Williams during this season “is just rumors,” Wolff said.
“The dispensation was something that wasn’t brought up by us and we have certainly stated from the beginning that that was not something we have pursued.
“I don’t know where this belief comes from that Mercedes was keen on pushing that forward. Kimi needs to concentrate on his F2 campaign, and he knows that.
“Everything else is just rumors, which continue to spin around and that are factually incorrect. He’s an F2 driver for Prema, that is what he’s doing, and this is what we’re all concentrating on.”
Wolff said that he doesn’t want to promote the Italian talent too early, as that would put his F1 career at risk. It must be taken into account that Antonelli went from driving F4 cars to F2, and skipping the F3 category doesn’t help.
“Just 15 months ago, he was in an F4 car,” he said. “We have great belief in Kimi, his abilities, and also his future.
“But there is a trajectory which we need to follow with diligence, rather than trying to dream about jumping from series to series in a way that is certainly not beneficial for him.
“I think a champion is not going to be distracted by any of this. But certainly, at least, it distracts me because everybody’s asking me: ‘What about Kimi and driving in Imola?
“This is not going to happen. This is not something that Mercedes wants. These rumors have gotten their own spin. Let’s do Formula 2. We as a team have lots of other issues to resolve.”