Mercedes team principal tries to support the young Italian driver
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff attempted to comfort and encourage Andrea Kimi Antonelli after the young Italian driver suffered a heavy crash during the third free practice session of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
W17 heavily damaged
Andrea Kimi Antonelli severely damaged his Mercedes W17 during the third practice session at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne. The Italian driver pushed slightly too hard on the exit of the first chicane, riding the kerb too aggressively before losing the rear of the car and spinning heavily into the barriers.
The impact caused significant damage to the Mercedes, forcing the team’s mechanics to carry out extensive repair work ahead of the qualifying session. It was a difficult moment for the young driver, who had shown promising pace earlier in the weekend but suddenly found himself dealing with the consequences of a costly mistake.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff immediately tried to console a visibly disappointed Antonelli following the crash. The Austrian team boss approached the driver to analyze what had happened while also encouraging him not to lose confidence after the incident.
Below is the video and the translated conversation between Toto Wolff and Andrea Kimi Antonelli after the crash.
“You can clearly see what happened, right?” Wolff says to Antonelli. “Had you ever taken the kerb like that before?”
“I think I hit it a bit harder,” Kimi Antonelli replies. “I had so much confidence.”
“Don’t lose the confidence, keep it,” Toto Wolff concludes.
The interaction between Toto Wolff and Kimi Antonelli at Albert Park provides a rare look at the mentorship required to manage a high-profile rookie in the high-stakes world of Formula 1. While the physical damage to the W17 was substantial, Wolff’s immediate intervention suggests that Mercedes prioritizes the psychological resilience of their driver over the technical setbacks, reinforcing that mistakes are an expected—if expensive—part of Antonelli’s development.
Keep the confidence Kimi 💪 pic.twitter.com/EiKgyXTybB
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 7, 2026
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