Toto Wolff feels “guilty for talking too much” about Antonelli with a view to a seat at Mercedes for 2025

Arriving in Bahrain for the start of the season F1, three main subjects revolved tirelessly in the paddock: the Horner affair, the hierarchy of the grid and the possible domination of Verstappen et Red Bull as well as the transfer of the centuryHamilton at Ferrari. Concerning the last, speculations and rumors around his successor began as soon as the announcement made by the Team, a month and a half ago now.

Several names have been circulated: Alonso, Verstappen, Or with, Sainz, Albon, but also that of Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Still a little unknown to the general public before the announcement of Hamilton's transfer, the Italian suddenly gained momentum on the media scene. Toto wolff has repeated several times, the stable of Brackley needs “look at the long term” to sign his future pilot.

Antonelli's track record says it all

The Austrian therefore naturally thought of Antonelli. It must be said that at 17 years old, the Mercedes academy prodigy has won almost everywhere he has gone until then: champion of F4 Germany and Italy in 2022, and champion of Formula Regional Europe and Middle East in 2023. Also note that the native of Bologna (Italy) made a big leap forward in 2024, going directly into F2 without going through the box F3. This shows the talent of the man and the hopes placed in him.

« Kimi has been part of our academy since he was 11 years old and we have a lot of fun watching him grow as a young man and climb the ranks, emphasized Toto Wolff last month, before the start of the season. But I also want to take some pressure off him. He's only 17 years old, he won everything he had to win in his first season. I think he will be part of the Formula 1 and that he will be a very successful driver in this discipline, but he has not yet started his Formula 2 season. He had difficult tests in the first days in Bahrain and we will see how that develops. This is why I prefer to wait for the first races, which take place at the same time as F1, and we will see then. »

“I just wanted to keep my options open”

Finally, the main Mercedes team went back on their words a little after the first two Grand Prix.

“I said we need to take a long-term look at driver composition, not one year but three, five or ten years. With that in mind, I just wanted to keep my options open. (evoking the name of Antonelli. Ed.), with all the consequences that this could potentially entail”, now declares Toto Wolff on the Formula 1 website, while his protégé, currently 10th in F2, is having an average start accompanied by encouraging signs.

“I'm probably guilty of talking too much about Kimi, because he's only 17, he jumped to F3, he's going into F2”, he admits.

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📻 “We can do it. I know we can do it! COME ON!”

Kimi Antonelli getting some encouragement in his intense battle with Jak Crawford! #SaudiArabianGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/VJjTaM4i9z

- Formula 2 (@ Formula2) March 9, 2024

According to Wolff, Antonelli still has “need to learn”

If Andrea Kimi Antonelli's talent is beyond doubt in the Formula 1 paddock, 2025 may be too early for the pinnacle of motorsport. Despite his many single-seater seasons and his four titles in just three years, the Italian “needs to learn, to be more in the shadows to be able to develop, to understand what to do” before landing in the premier category, believes Toto Wolff.

In Bahrain, Antonelli only scored a small point, because Prema was far from the mark. He was still ahead of his repeating teammate Oliver Bearman, who dazzled F1 in Jeddah in Carlos Sainz's Ferrari. Precisely, in Saudi Arabia, he still lacked a little rhythm and made a few mistakes during the two races.

However, there is nothing to worry about. The Mercedes prodigy will continue to gain experience over the next Grand Prix. The 2024 F2 season being the longest in history, this could also allow the rookie to return to the rankings, and little by little, fight for top 5s, podiums, or even victories.

Still in the race for a seat for 2025?

If “Kimi” fights for the title or wins the standings at the end of the 14 Grand Prix, his chances of moving up to F1 could be great. Although the door to Brackley (United Kingdom) is open, Mercedes management should possibly trust a more experienced driver. So, it is possible, in this hypothesis, that Toto Wolff will do his best Williams and James Vowles to place Antonelli there – as was done with Russell from 2019 to 2021 -, for example in place of a Sergeant still disappointing.

“If he goes to Formula 1, if everything goes as planned, I don't know if it will be next year, or if it will be with us or with someone else,” declared the main Mercedes team on this subject.

In the other possibility where Antonelli's season is disappointing, there would be nothing abnormal in seeing him return for a second year in F2, in order to be better prepared for an F1 which would change radically in 2026 with the changes in technical and engine regulations.

Between now and any choice from Mercedes (expected later in the year), the Italian will have time to prove himself and show whether or not he deserves a seat from 2025 with the Silver Arrows or elsewhere.

ALSO READ > VIDEO – Oliver Bearman back behind the wheel of an F1 at Fiorano with Ferrari

Kelman Marti