Breaking: Wolff admits Antonelli ‘mistake’ as Mercedes prepare for…read more
Wolff admits Antonelli ‘mistake’ as Mercedes prepare for…read more
Toto Wolff has acknowledged a “mistake” regarding the promotion of Kimi Antonelli to Mercedes as the team prepares for significant changes in Formula 1 ahead of the 2026 season. Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian prodigy, will join Mercedes in 2025 as a key figure in the team, stepping into the challenging role that Lewis Hamilton will vacate when he moves to Ferrari. Hamilton, who has won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes, has been a dominant force at the team, breaking numerous records and leading the charge during the hybrid era from 2014 until 2021. However, Mercedes’ struggle to adapt to the 2022 regulations, which resulted in a prolonged winless streak, prompted Hamilton to make the decision to leave the team for Ferrari.
As Antonelli prepares for his move, he faces the immense task of filling Hamilton’s shoes in a rapidly evolving Formula 1 landscape. Mercedes is confident in his potential, despite his relative inexperience. Antonelli has only one season in Formula 2, where he has secured two race victories. His debut in an F1 car during FP1 sessions at the Italian and Mexican Grands Prix revealed his raw talent but also highlighted his inexperience. At Monza, he showed impressive pace before crashing at Parabolica, an unfortunate but telling moment in his early career.
Mercedes is taking a long-term view, with Wolff emphasizing that the 2025 season will be a year of development for Antonelli, as the team eyes the major regulation changes coming in 2026. Wolff stated that Antonelli’s rookie season will come with growing pains, acknowledging that mistakes will be part of the learning process. However, he is confident that Antonelli will show moments of brilliance that demonstrate his potential.
Wolff emphasized that Mercedes is focused on the long-term development of Antonelli, and 2025 will be about preparing him for the challenges ahead. “There will be moments where we tear our clothes off over mistakes, but there will also be flashes of brilliance,” Wolff said, underscoring the importance of 2026 as a pivotal year for Mercedes, both in terms of the team’s performance and its role as an engine manufacturer. Mercedes aims to have Antonelli fully ready for the changes that are set to reshape F1 in 2026.
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