Guenther Steiner names the driver Toto Wolff will be keeping very close eye on in 2024

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Guenther Steiner believes that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff will be watching Andrea Kimi Antonelli very closely as he tries to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes didn’t get the 2024 season off to the start they would have liked as they failed to compete with Red Bull and Ferrari.

Toto Wolff has a huge long-term decision to make this season when Lewis Hamilton departs for Ferrari and speaking to Sky Sports F1, Guenther Steiner thinks he’ll be looking at both internal and external options.

Steiner thinks Wolff is watching Antonelli very closely

The discussion over who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes is going to dominate the Formula 1 driver market.

While Sergio Perez is also out of contract at the end of 2024, Red Bull will likely look from within to replace the Mexican should they decide against handing him a new deal.

This means that the seat alongside George Russell is going to be the most desirable among drivers looking to move.

Carlos Sainz is said to be interested, although Damon Hill doesn’t believe Mercedes will make a move for him.

Gunther Steiner believes that the Spaniard and Nico Hulkenberg would be good options for the Silver Arrows.

However, Steiner also thinks that Wolff will be paying close attention to how Kimi Antonelli performs in Formula 2.

He made a big step up from FRECA over the winter, skipping Formula 3, and still appears to be acclimatising to the new car.

Antonelli already under pressure with F1 seat on the line

Steiner was asked who he would replace Lewis Hamilton with and said: “I think he’s [Toto Wolff] looking for speed, somebody who’s consistent, but also maybe somebody for the future.

“So, I think Toto is in a very good position because nothing will move until he moves.

“Obviously, they’ve got the young driver Kimi Antonelli in Formula 2, who is a protégé of Mercedes for I don’t know how many years.

“So, they’ve got time to see how he’s doing in F2. Maybe he’s a talent like Max Verstappen who came out of the old Formula 3 straight into Formula 1.

“If Kimi can do the same then I think Toto can take the gamble because he’s about the same age.

“Otherwise, he has got older drivers without a contract he can pick from.

“He’ll be in no hurry because none of these guys will make a move until it is full, why would they?

When pushed on who exactly he would hire, Steiner said: “I would wait, I would do the same as Toto!”

Antonelli sneaked into the points in the F2 Feature Race in Bahrain but as Steiner suggests and Wolff has reiterated in the past, he’s happy to give the Italian teenager time.

He and Ollie Bearman – who is also tipped for an F1 seat – both struggled this weekend with PREMA appearing to get their setup all wrong.

They’ll both hope that improves throughout the season as they’re expected to be two of the favourites for the title.

Given that the recent conversion rate between F2 and F1 has been virtually non-existent, you have to really stand out to make the final leap.