Toto Wolff praised Kimi Antonelli’s maturity and intelligent race management after the Mercedes driver secured an impressive victory in the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The 19-year-old finished just 1.9 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen taking third place and Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth.
The Mercedes team principal and CEO described the victory as an important step in Kimi Antonelli’s season, particularly after the disappointment he had experienced at Silverstone. The result also strengthened Mercedes’ position as the team continued its pursuit of both Formula 1 world championships.
Toto Wolff praises Kimi Antonelli’s Belgian GP maturity
Speaking to Sky Sport after the race, Toto Wolff highlighted the precision of Kimi Antonelli’s performance and the composure he demonstrated during the decisive stages at Spa-Francorchamps.
“A great victory for Kimi! After the disappointment at Silverstone, he really did everything perfectly,” Toto Wolff said. “Today he pushed to the maximum and did not make a single mistake. It was a victory that did not look like it came from a 19-year-old. Kimi is much more mature than his age. He was impressive today.”
The Belgian Grand Prix represented a significant response from the young Italian, whose difficult experience at the previous British round had placed additional attention on his ability to recover. His subsequent Spa performance added another chapter to Kimi Antonelli’s story of redemption at the Belgian circuit.
How Kimi Antonelli caught Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc emerged ahead of Kimi Antonelli during the pit-stop phase after Ferrari benefited from the timing of the Virtual Safety Car. However, the Mercedes driver remained patient rather than immediately forcing the issue.
According to Toto Wolff, Kimi Antonelli carefully reduced the gap without overworking his tyres before reclaiming the lead from the Ferrari driver.
“He raced intelligently, waited for the right moment and recovered two or three tenths per lap without forcing, without stressing the tyres, and then caught Charles Leclerc,” Toto Wolff explained.
Kimi Antonelli’s ability to manage the decisive phase of the race proved crucial, as Charles Leclerc remained close enough to maintain pressure until the finish. The achievement also earned the Mercedes driver further recognition after his record-equalling Belgian Grand Prix victory attracted praise in Italy.
Toto Wolff calls Mercedes the strongest car
Toto Wolff also assessed the competitive order at Spa, describing Mercedes as the best car at that stage of the season. He suggested that Kimi Antonelli would probably have remained ahead throughout the race without the Virtual Safety Car intervention that helped Charles Leclerc gain track position.
“At the moment, Mercedes is the best car,” Toto Wolff said. “Without the VSC, Kimi probably would have kept first place until the end. Ferrari is doing well, as is Max Verstappen. Lando Norris also had potential today.”
“The group is close, but Kimi is one step ahead of everyone. For the title? There are many rivals. It is a shame for George Russell, who, in addition to the accident at the start, is suffering from a lack of straight-line speed.”
George Russell’s Belgian Grand Prix ended during the opening lap following contact with Lewis Hamilton. After the race, the British driver also raised concerns about the performance of his Mercedes and asked the team to investigate the differences between his car and Kimi Antonelli’s.
Mercedes strengthens its championship challenge
Overall, the race confirmed Mercedes’ strong momentum, with Kimi Antonelli handling the most important phases of the Belgian Grand Prix with exceptional composure. His ability to preserve the tyres, close the gap gradually and choose the correct moment to attack underlined a level of maturity rarely associated with a 19-year-old driver.
Charles Leclerc remained close until the chequered flag, while Max Verstappen completed the podium and Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth. The complete Belgian Grand Prix finishing order reflected how closely matched the leading teams had been at Spa.
For Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli’s performance provided another indication that the young Italian is becoming one of the central figures in the 2026 championship. His victory also moved the team closer to its ambition of securing both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles.
Editorial accuracy note: The original Italian headline describes 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli as a “veteran”. This appears inconsistent with both his age and the article’s emphasis on his youth, so the wording has not been carried into the recommended English headline. I was also unable to independently load the supplied GP-News.net and ScuderiaFans.com pages because the websites returned timeout or server errors during verification; the article therefore uses only the exact URLs provided in your prompt.
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