Mercedes finally confirmed the signing of Kimi Antonelli ahead of the Italian Grand Prix last time out. It had been clear for months that Antonelli was the favourite to replace Lewis Hamilton. Wolff held talks with Max Verstappen but the world champion decided to stay at Red Bull for 2025. He may revisit a move next year. Verstappen never seemed a likely acquisition, with Antonelli always more realistic. Mercedes made it clear from the outset that they favoured him over Carlos Sainz, the outstanding free agent on the market. It was a simple solution for the Silver Arrows given that the Italian…
