Toto Wolff doesn’t think Kimi Antonelli “would have lasted in other teams”
· Yahoo Sports
Formula 1 is a vicious meat grinder for young talent. If a rookie doesn't perform immediately, there is usually a very short leash before a team principal shows them the door.
For Mercedes, taking a massive gamble on teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton was the ultimate risk. And as team boss Toto Wolff freely admits, there was a dark stretch during the Italian's 2025 rookie campaign where almost any other team on the grid would have pulled the plug.
Visit casino-promo.biz for more information.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff and Simon Lazenby following Free Practice 3 at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Wolff took a moment to reflect on exactly how close his newly crowned world champion came to the brink.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesBefore Antonelli hoisted the 2026 championship trophy in Mexico City, he had to survive a nightmare slump.
"What I'm particularly proud of is that I don't think he would have lasted in other teams after an F2 season, which wasn't overwhelming," Wolff confessed on the Sky broadcast. "And this spell of nine races without any points last year."
The Mercedes shield
When the pressure was at its absolute peak, and critics were questioning the factory seat, the Brackley squad closed ranks.
They ignored the outside noise and looked at the telemetry.
"We just trusted our data, trusted our feeling about the personality and the potential," Wolff explained. "Because there's so many that came out and said, what a talent. And that wasn't the journey."
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, MercedesInstead of letting the then-19-year-old drown in the immense pressure of the Silver Arrows spotlight, Wolff and his senior leadership team built a psychological fortress around him. They gave him the time that other teams simply refuse to offer.
"The journey was developing the talent, nurturing, mentoring, shielding him, protecting him," Wolff noted. "And eventually, you know, he in the car is just delivered absolutely amazingly."
The ultimate vindication arrived in Mexico when Antonelli secured the crown. Wolff's patience didn't just save a generational talent from being destroyed by the F1 machine - it built the youngest world champion in F1 history.
To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.