F1 Italian GP: Kimi Antonelli disappoints at Monza but Toto Wolff confirms faith in him. Kimi Antonelli endured another disappointing home race at Monza.

F1 | Disappointment for Kimi Antonelli at Monza: Wolff does not change his mind on Kimi – Italian GP

After Imola, another home race turned into disappointment for Kimi Antonelli. Following the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Toto Wolff shared his thoughts on the young Mercedes driver’s performance.

Antonelli’s second home race did not go as he had hoped. After starting from sixth position and showing promise early in the weekend, the Italian crossed the line only in ninth place. Mercedes had lined up on the third row, but the team faced a strong challenge from Ferrari, particularly from Charles Leclerc, who was able to put George Russell under pressure throughout the race.

With this result, just 20 points now separate Mercedes from Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship. The battle for second place is wide open, with both teams trying to close in on McLaren, who continue to look almost unbeatable—except, of course, when Max Verstappen is in the mix.

Reflecting on the performance of the local hero, Toto Wolff made it clear that his opinion on Kimi Antonelli has not changed. He continues to regard the young Italian as the future of Mercedes. During the post-race press briefing, attended also by F1inGenerale, Wolff was asked how he would evaluate Kimi Antonelli’s second home race after what had already been described as an “exhausting” weekend at Imola.

“What had he done at Imola? He finished in the points, right? Yes, of course. This weekend was disappointing. Putting the car into the gravel and expecting it to stay there for the whole race was disappointing,” Wolff commented with a frank assessment of Antonelli’s performance.

Despite a Monza race that did not live up to the expectations of the Italian fans, the Mercedes boss left no doubts about his long-term vision: “This changes nothing in terms of support and confidence in his future, because I believe he is going to be very, very, very good,” he concluded.

After the race, Kimi Antonelli himself reflected on his Italian Grand Prix. Speaking to Sky, the Bologna-born driver admitted his mistakes at the start: “I lost a lot of positions and had to chase. The pace on the mediums was not bad, but on the hards I really struggled and it was impossible to keep Albon behind. I am happy with the weekend overall, I had a good qualifying, and in Baku we will try to do better.”