Toto Wolff has openly stated that he is not at all worried about the recent dip in performance by Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Italian driver has shown clear signs of his talent early in the season, scoring points right from his very first race.
The decline in results came after the Canadian Grand Prix, where Mercedes enjoyed its biggest success of the year with George Russell winning and Kimi Antonelli finishing in third place. However, in the subsequent races in Austria and Great Britain, the young Italian was forced to retire, and in Belgium, he failed to score any points.
According to Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, “We have never doubted his performances. We knew there would be ups and downs — it is all part of the natural development curve for a young driver.”
He added, “We must not forget that he is only 18 years old and has a lot to learn. He will make mistakes but will also have brilliant moments. Over the long term, this is completely normal.” With Wolff’s extensive experience, the criticism aimed at the just-turned-adult driver does not affect his confidence in Antonelli’s potential.
In the latest Hungarian Grand Prix, George Russell once again secured a podium finish in third place, while Kimi Antonelli managed to score points by finishing tenth.
Antonelli himself admitted, “It was tough. First of all, we had not planned to make only one pit stop. But considering the position we were in, we decided to continue because the pace was quite good.”
After recent challenging races, the young driver appeared somewhat discouraged, but a smile has returned to his face: “I am happy to have brought home my first point of the European season.”
“I am really glad that my confidence in the car returned this weekend. I leave Budapest feeling much more comfortable after switching back to the previous rear suspension. We can carry this feeling into the second half of the season and look forward with optimism.”
Young talents in Formula 1 face intense pressure, but so far, it would be unfair to say anything negative about the Italian rookie. Considering it is his first year, he is performing quite well.
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