Kimi Antonelli back in the top 10
While not a particularly impressive result compared to that of his teammate, Kimi Antonelli’s tenth-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix provided a much-needed boost of confidence and morale for the young driver from Bologna. Before this, the #12 driver had failed to score a single point during the European leg of the season, raising doubts about his capabilities.
One person who has always believed in Kimi Antonelli is Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal who promoted him to Formula 1, supported him during his initial successes—Antonelli made a strong impression up to the Miami Grand Prix—and stood by him through his first real crisis. Wolff knows very well the potential of his protégé, and to dismiss him during a rough patch would have been to repeat the same mistake that Red Bull often makes with their young talents. In other words, Mercedes truly believes in Kimi Antonelli, as confirmed by the recent remarks of their team principal.
Toto Wolff’s words
“Kimi is an incredible talent: he’s fast, he’s intelligent, but he’s very young,” Toto Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “From the start, I said he would make mistakes; we wouldn’t have taken him otherwise. We have a car that is inconsistent, but going through these difficulties is part of the process of becoming a champion.” – he pointed out.
Kimi Antonelli is well liked throughout the paddock, and following his emotional moment at Spa, he received a visit of support from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who met him in the Mercedes hospitality area.
“I think champions recognize other champions. Lewis remains very important to us; he will always be part of the Mercedes family even if he now drives for Ferrari. We talk often, and I believe he understands well the challenges Kimi has to face. We are all trying to work together, including with his family, to create an environment that allows Kimi to perform at his best on track.”
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