Toto Wolff has actively dispelled speculation that 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli, his rising star, is being accelerated into Formula 1 imminently.
The youthful Italian is seen as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the upcoming season, and next week, he is scheduled for his third test drive in an older F1 car alongside Mick Schumacher, the usual Mercedes reserve, at Silverstone.
Over the weekend in Miami, it came to light that a team—likely Mercedes-aligned Williams—has sought approval from the FIA for Antonelli to be granted a super license before he turns 18 in August.
This sparked suggestions that Logan Sargeant might be promptly replaced just before the next F1 event in Imola in just two weeks.
However, Mercedes chief Wolff has dismissed these suggestions.
"We don't want to burn Kimi out," he stated to Auto Motor und Sport. "Formula 1 for him in Imola would be too early."
Furthermore, Wolff refuted claims that Mercedes pushed for an expedited super license for Antonelli.
"We did not initiate this request," he asserted. "I don't know where this belief comes from that we are interested in moving the process forward like that."
"Kimi needs to concentrate on Formula 2 and he knows that. Everything else is just rumours."
