Toto Wolff has suggested that Mercedes gave 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton a short contract because they already had one ꦛeye on♑ Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli, 17, has been tipped to replace Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 when the seven-time F1 champion goes to Ferrari.

But 🧜the decision to hand Hamilton a two-year contract, which he signe🍨d last year, rather than a longer deal was to avoid losing Antonelli.

Mercedes team principal Wolff recalled a tale from the past when a young Max Verstappen 🦹slipped through his fingers, because he was already committed contractually to Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

“There was a situation many years ago where we had the opportunity to let Max drive,” Wolff is qღuoted by .

“And that wasn't p𒁃ossible back then because we simply didn't have a cockpꦡit.

“Rosberg and Hamil꧅ton were tied to us long-term, and Red Bull naturally seized the opportunity.

“They gave him a contract with Toro Rosso, with the possibil꧟ity of driving for Red Bull the ꦛfollowing year.

“We then lost 🐻the young driver, and you 🌱can see how successful he has become.

"And precisely because we have a junior on the horiᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ🎀⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚzon who is really driving at a very high level, I simply wanted to keep this option open.

"That does not mean that we will actua𓆉lly put Ant🍒onelli in the car next year,

"He is 17 years old, and that might be a bi🌳t early.

“But with a view to❀ the💞 next five or ten years, I just wanted to have this option."

Antonelli will debut in Formula 2 this season but is being 🃏mentioned alongside the likes of Fernando Alonso as a serious target for Mercedes to replace Hamilton with.

Hamilton penned terms with Mercedes last summer after a long-running saga which saw him he꧃avily linked to Ferrari.

This winter, he activated a get-out clause which allows him to go to Ferrari ಌ🎐in 2025.

This season, which begins this weekend in Bahrain, will be Hamiltಌon’s last with Mercedᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚes.