Mercedes entering ‘exciting new era’ post-Lewis Hamilton: Toto Wolff

LONDON – In a push to build energy for the new Formula One season, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has announced an “exciting new era” ahead of pre-season testing this week in Bahrain.

With Lewis Hamilton having departed to Ferrari, George Russell will now partner teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli as the team look to improve on a fourth-placed finish in the 2024 constructors’ standings, when they finished behind Red Bull, runners-up Ferrari and champions McLaren.

The top four teams were far ahead of the rest of the 10-team field, with Mercedes’ 468 points nearly five times the tally of fifth-placed Aston Martin (94).

“We are building on the incredible legacy of our heritage, and we can’t wait to go racing,” Wolff said.

“Everyone at the team has been hard at work over the winter. Last season was incredibly competitive on the track and, whilst we took several wins, we are all focused on challenging for victories more consistently.”

Russell won in Austria in late June as well as in Las Vegas in November. Hamilton followed Russell’s victory in Austria with one in his native Britain in early July. The seven-time world champion won again in Belguim two races later.

Now, the 18-year-old Italian Antonelli takes over Hamilton’s seat. Antonelli has been on the Mercedes junior team since 2019 and Wolff is optimistic regarding the youngster.

“Kimi has all the necessary talent to achieve great things at the pinnacle of the sport, but this is a rookie season and there will inevitably be ups and downs,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to that journey together, though, and helping him develop over the course of the year.”

On his team’s chances, Wolff added: “It is going to be a highly competitive season. We saw last year just how close the field was.

“You couldn’t say race to race who would be at the front, and I expect this year to be even closer. We will have to be at our very best if we want to challenge for championships this season.”

Russell, 27, said he was eager to take to the track.

“I feel like last year was my strongest in F1,” the British driver said.

“This coming season will be my seventh in the sport, and fourth with the works Mercedes team, and I’m working hard to improve year-on-year. As a team, we are incredibly motivated to improve on last season.”

Wolff and Russell were speaking as Mercedes showed off their new W16 car in a digital launch on Feb 24 as they prepare for pre-season testing.

Technical director James Allison said that while stable rules on the chassis side made big gains in lap time harder to find, “we’ve been concentrating on making improvements in the areas that held us back in 2024”.

“Our primary focus has been on dialling out the W15’s slight reluctance to turn in slow corners, along with the imbalance in tyre temperatures that made the car inconsistent from session to session,” he said.

“We are pleased with our progress over the winter and we’re looking forward to finding out where we stack up against everyone else.”

Allison also expected to see multiple winners this season, possibly more than the four teams and seven drivers that won last season.

The season starts in Australia on March 16 with Mercedes-powered McLaren seeking to defend their constructors’ title, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen chases a fifth drivers’ crown in a row.

Stops in North America – where the sport is seeking to expand – comprise May 4 in Miami, June 15 in Montreal, Oct 19 in Austin, Texas, Oct 26 in Mexico City and Nov 22 in Las Vegas. REUTERS, AFP