Kimi Antonelli contained Max Verstappen’s furious late charge to secure a runner-up finish at Interlagos, highlighting the talent of the young Bolognese driver. However, Toto Wolff was careful not to let too much pressure build around his protégé, emphasizing that “the goal remains winning races and fighting for the championship.”
At the end of the Brazil Grand Prix, Toto Wolff measured his smiles. The Mercedes team principal tempered excessive enthusiasm, reminding everyone that the ultimate objective is clear: winning races and world titles. Yet, in the customary media session held half an hour after the podium ceremony, Toto Wolff allowed himself to address some key points. The subject of the day, of course, was Kimi Antonelli, likely his most cherished gamble since taking the helm of the team. A choice that Toto Wolff has had to defend during inevitable moments of challenge.
It was not only Antonelli who had to adapt to an entirely new context. The team itself faced an unprecedented situation; no one in Mercedes had previously worked with a rookie, and for a group accustomed to a well-tested system with experienced drivers, the start was not always smooth. During the inevitable challenging moments, Wolff remained the steady anchor.
“I have always had confidence in Kimi’s growth,” he explained. “His presence in the team for the future was never in question. We know it is not simple to adapt to such complex cars and manage so many factors, like tire management. The result Kimi achieved today is excellent. This is undoubtedly a positive day, just as there have been more difficult ones in the past. But there was never a single moment when I doubted he would get here.”
“On my part, I always try to temper expectations. The Italian media highly praised him after Montreal and Miami, and building up expectations adds extra pressure. So we stay grounded. Today, he earned a brilliant second position, fending off Max’s final assault impressively, but the goal remains to win races and fight for the championship.”
Wolff has a clear understanding of why Antonelli shone on circuits he was seeing for the first time: from sprint qualifying poles in Miami to his first podium in Montreal, up to the second-place finish in Interlagos. “Probably the expectations were lower,” he explained, “and the pressure is not as high as on some European race weekends. We must always remember we are talking about a 19-year-old. In European races, he may have imposed greater pressure on himself, arriving at a track where he had performed well in the past, and finding himself behind his teammate. On a circuit he faces for the first time, he may approach the weekend with fewer expectations, and fan pressure is also lower compared to some European tracks. I believe this plays an important role.”
Toto Wolff repeatedly highlighted how Antonelli managed Verstappen’s late pressure. “Being able to hold off Max, who had fresher soft tires, was truly remarkable, and it is a sign of what’s to come. I believe Kimi is in a growth process. Next season will feel more familiar to him, and that was the objective of this learning year, with its ups and downs. Today was undoubtedly a very positive day. There will certainly be more challenging ones, but we will approach the next three races without pressure. I believe we will see a young man transform and be ready to give his best.”
The positive news from the Brazilian weekend goes beyond Antonelli’s strong performance. Mercedes scored 43 points in the round—the same as McLaren—compared to only 6 from Ferrari, consolidating second place in the Constructors’ Championship. The lead over Red Bull is now 32 points and 36 over Ferrari. “It was a good weekend,” Toto Wolff admitted, “but we know how quickly things can change. Just a double retirement in one of the upcoming races can reset everything. We have to stay grounded and take things day by day.”
The next round will be in Las Vegas, a track where Mercedes achieved a surprising one-two finish last year. “I would have loved to go there with the same car as last year,” he commented with a smile, “but unfortunately, that won’t be the case. We will try to confirm our performance, but I doubt we can replicate 2024. I remember we had high expectations before Silverstone and Spa, but things didn’t go as planned. I don’t want to be influenced by last year’s results. We will go to Las Vegas and see what is possible.”
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