Surprise Antonelli? Toto Wolff raves about his protégé

– Kimi Antonelli not only won the Belgian Grand Prix but also extended his lead in the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. A stark contrast to where the 19-year-old stood just a year ago.

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Ultimately, the Mercedes driver was almost in tears after qualifying for the 2025 Belgian GP. Although Toto Wolff’s protégé had started in Grand Prix racing with great fanfare, the youngster often lacked the crucial tenths of a second in the duel with George Russell during the European season. Almost twelve months later, the situation is completely reversed, much to the surprise of many.

“We are all surprised,” said Toto Wolff after Antonelli’s sixth win of the season. “His first season went as expected. There were great moments where his talent shone through, and then there were moments that were really difficult.”

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“You know, that dry spell in the middle of the season, that was just as expected. But then, after the winter break, as expected, he knew his surroundings, the pressure, the technical demands of the team, the marketing, and the racetracks.”

“What we didn’t expect,” said Wolff, “was the calmness and structure he displayed. No matter if a session goes well or badly: with Kimi, you see no difference in the briefing. It’s completely calculated. What’s the problem? How can we solve it? How do we move forward? And that’s new.”

“That’s why,” according to the team boss’s assessment, “it’s almost as if you don’t see the enthusiasm of a 19-year-old after his victories.”

According to Wolff, Antonelli also stands by his team in difficult moments. He cites Barcelona and Silverstone as examples, where the championship leader was unable to score points due to technical problems.

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“He comes back [to the pits] and is the one who tells the team: ‘Well, it’s a mechanical sport, these things can happen,’ and that at 19 years old! That is really, really impressive.”

“And I believe,” said Wolff, “this mindset and attitude are probably among the foundations that give him the opportunity to show his talent so early in his career.”

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People like race engineer Peter Bonnington also agree with this assessment. Mercedes has been raving about the analytical skills of the championship leader for months.

Just under a year ago, Antonelli himself could never have imagined this form, which he also admits at Spa-Francorchamps. “Last year I reached my lowest point here,” said the 19-year-old. “It was a very difficult weekend for me mentally.”

“But this year it was much better. If you had asked me a year ago [if this would be possible], I probably would have said ‘no’.”

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