Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff feels that the trajectory of Kimi Antonelli is in line with the team’s expectations for a rookie in his first season in F1.
Antonelli delivered some strong performances in the last couple of races, highlighted by podium finishes in Brazil and the Las Vegas GP. In Las Vegas, the young Italian launched a brilliant recovery drive from P17 on the grid, which earned him P3 after both McLaren drivers were disqualified.
The strong performances in recent weeks contrast with the European leg of the season, where Antonelli had, at times, delivered less-than-stellar performances, prompting questions about whether the rookie was ready to handle the pressures of F1.
Asked about Antonelli’s recent upswing in terms of performance and what implications it could have for the upcoming 2026 F1 season, Wolff responded that the young Italians’ trajectory has been in line with Mercedes’ expectations. The Mercedes team principal recognises the challenges a young driver faces in his first season, especially the pressure of driving for one of the top teams as a rookie.
Antonelli’s trajectory as expected
Wolff believes that completing a full F1 season will reduce some of the pressures Antonelli faces regarding the unknown aspects of circuits and expectations in the upcoming season.
“I think he’s 19 years old, and we always said that the first season can be difficult, and that’s what we’ve seen at times.
“He’s been parachuted into one of the big teams, hasn’t known many of the Grand Prixs, and the pressure that comes upon him, and that’s why that’s what I expected in terms of trajectory.
“But next year is going to be completely different. Of course, it’s new for all of the drivers. Not only for him, he’s been at the circuits, he’s travelled, he’s experienced the pressures that come upon you when you’re a driver. He’s going to be one year older and more mature, so it’s all according to plan.”
Wolff looking ahead to 2026 and beyond
As a rookie, Antonelli experienced some performance swings over the course of the 2025 F1 season, something Wolff had anticipated. Despite these swings, Mercedes’ team principal never questioned his driver choice.
Looking ahead to the 2026 F1 season and beyond, Wolff hopes to see more “solid performances” from Antonelli as the young rookie continues to grow.
“I never questioned that decision, actually, throughout the season, because we’ve always said that we expected it to be full of ups and downs—a moment of brilliance, and a moment where you want to tear your hair out.
“So, this is not the end of the development; this is still at very early stages, and I hope we’re going to see more from Kimi [Antonelli] next year. Solid performances, and in the many years to come, hopefully.”
