Sauber COO and CTO, Mattia Binotto, claims Mercedes offered Kimi Antonelli on a loan to the team for the F1 2025 season.
Kimi Antonelli has been wildly regarded as a young talent for several years. This year, he made the step up from Formula 2 to Formula 1. The rookie has had plenty pressure on his shoulders as he grabbed the Mercedes seat after seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes Team Principle, Toto Wolff, was insistent on Antonelli being the right driver for the job. So far, the young rookie has shown skill and grit.
Despite this, the former Ferrari Team Principle claimed that Mercedes had offered Antonelli to Sauber on a loan before the F1 2025 season. According to an article by PlanetF1, Binotto also claimed that he “wasn’t involved in the decision” of Antonelli’s future.
Wolff immediately wanted Antonelli
At the time of the announcement that shook the F1 world, when Ferrari announced Lewis Hamilton as their 2025 driver. The speculation went wild of who could possibly be the replacement of the seven-time World Champion in the newly open seat at Mercedes. Toto Wolff had stated several times that young Kimi Antonelli was who he wanted to see in the seat. Even expressing that he made his mind up “five minutes” after the Hamilton to Ferrari news dropped.
Speaking about the choice of the future of the Mercedes seat last year in Monza, Wolff stated:
“Obviously, we were discussing other options, and also didn’t discount the Max idea by looking at what happened at Red Bull. But, instinctively, this is the line-up with these two [Antonelli and Russell] that I always wanted. Bearing in mind the fast-tracking that we did with Kimi and everything related there too. But that was immediately what I wanted to do.”
While it is natural for a team to consider all options and look at the decision from every angle, Wolff made it clear that he was set on the talented Antonelli.
Binotto claims Antonelli offered on loan
Before the move was made official, Mattia Binotto claimed Mercedes were open to a potential loan of the now Mercedes rookie. This discussion allegedly took place before Sauber made the decision to sign another young talent, Gabriel Bortoleto.
Speaking to Il Giornale, Binotto stated:
“They had offered him to us, but I wasn’t involved in the decision. It’s been a difficult year for him because, regardless of the talent that everyone recognises he has, he is exposed to the media pressure of a top team like Mercedes.”
It has been a difficult year for the rookie with several DNFs and tough qualifying sessions. The 19-year-old has still shown moments of greatness. The Mercedes driver stormed to his maiden F1 podium back in Canada. Also securing an impressive pole during the Sprint in Miami. Currently, the young driver sits seventh in the Driver’s Standings with 64 points.
After the Hungarian GP, Wolff showed his support of the Italian, stating:
“The car is generally giving more feedback to him, and he said that the weekend was transformational. Qualifying went wrong, but that happens to young drivers. And [in the race], hanging him out there for tyre survival was another part of the development that he needs to go through.
He scored a point, he defended against [Isack] Hadjar behind, and I’m satisfied with that. Hopefully going to get stronger in the second half of the year. So, on target.”
Hopefully, the rookie will find his rhythm again this weekend as Formula 1 returns from the summer break. He will want to fight for more points at the Dutch GP.
