Wolff explains Antonelli turnaround after tears — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Kimi Antonelli needs only a top-nine finish in the November 1 Mexico City Grand Prix to secure the 2026 Formula 1 world title; at 20, he would become the youngest champion, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record by three years.
- Toto Wolff recalled Antonelli in tears after Q1 elimination at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, when critics said he should leave Mercedes after nine races without points.
- Kimi Antonelli won nine races in 2026 and consistently held the upper hand over Mercedes teammate George Russell throughout the season.
- Formula 1 introduced new cars for 2026, creating a reset that Wolff believed benefited Antonelli because other drivers were already familiar with the previous generation, which had existed for four years.
- Mercedes played a pivotal role in Antonelli’s development over 18 months, with Wolff crediting the team, engineer Peter Bonnington, the wider engineering group and Antonelli’s family for his rapid progress.
- Kimi Antonelli said his father, performance coach and Mercedes personnel helped him relax and block out noise, a support system he said allowed him to enjoy race weekends and perform.
- Toto Wolff said Antonelli visited his office before the Austin race saying he planned to enjoy it and was not thinking about the championship; Wolff urged him to retain that attitude.
Why it matters: Antonelli’s nine wins have put Mercedes within one result of the 2026 title: finishing ninth or better in Mexico on November 1 makes him, at 20, F1’s youngest champion, three years ahead of Sebastian Vettel’s record. That completes a shift from being written off after nine pointless 2025 races to leading the championship for the team that backed his development.
Ask SkimNews
