Mercedes wrapped up the 2025 season as the second force in the constructors’ championship. It was a position that left the three-pointed star well adrift of the world champions—and their customer team—McLaren.
Despite this, Toto Wolff described it as a season of mixed feelings, one where encouraging signs were plentiful, particularly from the drivers. A George Russell at the peak of his powers was joined by Kimi Antonelli, who bounced back from mid-season struggles to lay strong foundations for the future. And when discussing the revolutionary changes coming in 2026, the Mercedes team principal kept expectations grounded, emphasizing ongoing development of the new cars as one of the key factors for success.
Toto Wolff reviews Mercedes’ 2025 season: Mixed feelings, but we always aim to win
A team like Mercedes never sets out to finish second. This is a principle repeatedly stressed by the Silver Arrows personnel and deeply embedded in the Brackley outfit’s philosophy. That’s why a second place in the constructors’, trailing the leaders by a significant margin, doesn’t feel like a successful outcome.
“I have mixed feelings, because if we look at the statistics from the last decade, the reality is that we haven’t achieved our goals,” Toto Wolff told Mercedes’ official channels in his end-of-season review for 2025. “We want to win and fight for championships, and we didn’t manage that—this means we simply didn’t do well enough.”
In the campaign just concluded, Mercedes carried over some flaws from the previous three years, including a car with a narrow operating window, compounded by further issues such as the rear suspension update introduced in early summer and later scrapped before the break.
Mercedes struggles, but drivers provide encouragement: Russell extraordinary, Antonelli lays solid foundations for the future
Brightening the overall picture for the Silver Arrows was the impressive work from both drivers. Leading the charge was George Russell, who delivered his best season since entering the Formula 1 circus. The Briton shouldered the role of team leader, producing a campaign of remarkable consistency that included multiple wins, numerous podiums, and several pole positions.
“He had an extraordinary season,” Wolff commented. “We gave him a car that wasn’t easy to drive. On some weekends it was competitive from free practice onward, but on others it was beyond our control—and yet he was still able to extract the maximum from it most of the time. Looking at our final position and his contribution in points, we’re incredibly fortunate to have him.”
The Mercedes boss also expressed pride in Kimi Antonelli’s performances. The Italian rookie started his season strongly, impressing from the outset before hitting a rough patch during the European leg. Thanks to close collaboration with the team, Antonelli turned things around, demonstrating speed and consistency in the final third of the year.
“Last year when we announced him, I said there would be ups and downs—and that’s exactly what happened,” Wolff stated. “We’ve never doubted his speed, talent, or abilities. In F1 you’re surrounded by cannibals; the media pressure, the responsibility of driving for Mercedes… That’s something he learned especially during the European season, where everyone wants a piece of you, but he’s a good person and doesn’t like saying no to anyone.”
The Bologna-born driver ended the campaign on a high note, delivering encouraging signs for the near future: “He’s laid a solid foundation to build on in 2026.”
The team principal also highlighted the behind-the-scenes contributions of development driver Frederik Vesti. “I think he’s a bit underrated—he was a champion in the feeder series, and having someone of his caliber at the simulator is really important for us. That’s why we gave him opportunities in free practice and TPC tests to correlate the data. It’s a sign of the trust we have in him.”
2026 is just around the corner—are Mercedes favorites? Ongoing development throughout the season will be crucial
With the 2025 chapter closed and the ground-effect cars consigned to history, excitement is building for the new era set to begin in just a few weeks. The release of details on the many innovations coming to Formula 1 next year has completed the long process of finalizing the new regulations.
“We’ve won eight titles, but then came difficult years. Now an era is ending where, looking back, the positive memories certainly dominate, but the true hybrid era is only just beginning,” Wolff said as he outlined the prospects for 2026. “The power units will be 50% electric, with sustainable fuels, raising the level of innovation even further. It will be fascinating. Driving will be taken to a new dimension. The spirit of racing won’t be lost, but energy management will play a crucial role, and drivers will need intensive weekend preparation.”
Throughout the recent season, rumors circulated about a Mercedes potentially starting from a stronger position at the grid. “I hope that’s the case, but I’m notoriously a pessimist and always see the glass half empty,” he replied, approaching the topic cautiously. “We’ve set targets for both the power unit and chassis levels, but I don’t know how ambitious they are. We’ll get some early indications of the pecking order in January testing and then in Bahrain. The key, however, will be consistent development throughout the season,” he concluded.
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