New Mercedes recruit very impressed by Toto Wolff: "It was unreal"

While Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract at the top of the pecking order at Mercedes, the manufacturer has attracted a new talent at the bottom. The Dane Frederik Vesti, who made a good impression in Formula 3 last season has arrived, and he knows exactly who to make an impression on.

Vesti had already caught the eye of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff when he was racing in Formula 4 three years ago. After a victory at Hockenheim, he received the trophy from the Austrian. "He came to the podium. It was unreal," Vesti said in conversation with Motorsport.com. "Then I realized that I had to do everything I could to become a Mercedes driver and have Toto as my boss."

Vesti overcame difficult period

After Helmut Marko, Wolff is probably the most impressive person in the F1 paddock for young drivers. However, it would be a while before Wolff also had eyes for Vesti. It was only after he overcame some setbacks and started winning races again that Mercedes knocked on his door last season.

"I am aware that my performance was not perfect. I have shown that I can pull myself together even after difficult moments. In my opinion that is a decisive factor in a driver's career."

George Russell was also added to Mercedes' junior program relatively late on, but Vesti doesn't want to compare himself to that. "I don't see myself as the new George Russell, I see myself as Frederik Vesti."