Toto Wolff hints at stability with Russell and praises Antonelli’s rise, as Mercedes balances 2025 goals and 2026 regulation shifts.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli stole the spotlight with a surprise pole in the Miami Sprint Qualifying. But despite the strong showing, Mercedes still looked slightly behind McLaren in pure pace.
Still, it’s a close fight at the top. Performance seems to swing from session to session, track to track, something Mercedes boss Toto Wolff fully acknowledges.
“We’ve seen some ups and downs, maybe a couple of races where Ferrari caught up with us,” Wolff said. “It’s tight, but not ideal, McLaren’s tyre management is impressive. When three teams are in the mix, you win one race and lose the next.”
“We’re still trying to figure everything out and catch up.”
Is the W16 a title contender?
With the season still long and George Russell holding a decent position in the standings, hopes aren’t fading yet.
“The car is much easier to set up now. When you make a change, it responds. That wasn’t the case before,” said Wolff. “It’s more predictable, but our biggest challenge is still keeping the tyres in the right temperature window. We haven’t nailed that yet.”
“We led the pack for years, then Red Bull and Christian [Horner] took over when the current regulations began. But we’re coming back, slowly. We won four races last year, Vegas was all ours. We’re in the fight now.”
“We’ve got a strong working culture. It’s high pressure, but the pressure is channeled well. I love this team, we all push to contribute, to be useful. If we’re not, we ask why.”
When does development stop for the W16?
With the massive 2026 regulation changes looming, every team must decide when to shift focus to next year. Williams has already stopped development, but Mercedes?
“Every team’s got its secrets,” said Wolff. “We’ve already moved some teams to focus on next year’s car. At this stage, performance gains come fast, but they’ll flatten out soon. If one team made that switch a month earlier, it could be a huge edge in 2026.”
Russell and Antonelli: A promising new pairing
With Lewis Hamilton now at Ferrari, Mercedes has a new line-up, Russell and rookie Antonelli, and so far, it’s working well.
Wolff has nothing but respect for Hamilton, though. “We’re still great friends. We spent a lot of time together, traveled together. But after 12 years, maybe it was time for something new, for both of us. Ferrari is iconic, and he got an attractive offer.”
“His talent is still there, we saw it in the Shanghai Sprint. You don’t lose that overnight. He just needs to align everything again: performance, comfort in the car, mental space.”
“But switching teams after so long is hard. Ferrari has a strong driver in Leclerc, and Lewis has to adapt. That takes time.”
Wolff admitted Antonelli was always in the frame as Hamilton’s successor.
“Kimi was ready, we were either going to bring him in this year or next. Doing it now gives him a year to learn before the new rules. He’s getting to know every track, like Miami, where he’s never raced. It felt like the right call.”
Has the team dynamic changed without Hamilton?
“Not really. Lewis was family. He knew exactly what he wanted, and the team knew him inside out. That made working together easier.”
“Now, the dynamic is new. George has stepped up as the senior driver. Kimi’s like the younger brother, calm, focused, constantly improving. And George is solid, you can count on him in qualifying and on Sundays. Team spirit is strong.”
Extending Russell’s contract? A no-brainer
So what’s next for George Russell, whose deal ends in 2025? Especially with Max Verstappen’s future uncertain, could Mercedes be keeping their options open?
“I knew this question was coming,” Wolff said with a smile. “George has always been part of the Mercedes family.”
“Right now, why break up a team that’s heading in the right direction?”
- Discover More>Cadillac F1 eyes Perez as top pick for 2026 seat
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 update
Why Break What Works? Wolff Hints at Russell Stay Why Break What Works? Wolff Hints at Russell Stay