Toto Wolff urges patience with Kimi Antonelli: “We’ll see his true potential in three years”. Toto Wolff urges patience with Kimi Antonelli after a challenging F1 debut.

After the podium finish in Montreal, Toto Wolff preaches patience regarding Kimi Antonelli.

The start of the 2025 Formula 1 season had suggested the possibility of immediately seeing Kimi Antonelli fighting for the top positions, despite Toto Wolff repeatedly urging caution with the young Italian talent. The Mercedes Team Principal was aware of the challenges his rookie would face during the races, which have indeed materialized.

Wolff has no doubts about Kimi
In the first European races of the year, car number 12 did encounter some difficulties. Between a complex C6 to understand and increasingly intense pressure, Kimi Antonelli had to deal with his first challenging weekends. There is nothing unusual about this — it’s part of a growth process that will undoubtedly require some time. Both Kimi and Toto Wolff are aware of this, with the Silver Arrows boss explaining how long it will take to see the true potential of the Italian driver.

“Kimi has been in our junior program since he was eleven because even back in his karting days, his talent was clear to everyone. We have an excellent scouting group at Mercedes, and that’s definitely important for a team. If a kid starts racing around eight years old and is immediately competitive, that’s a good sign. If that kid also wins the championship while being younger than the others, that’s an even stronger indication. And Kimi has done that in every category,” Toto Wolff stated.

“The main difficulty for a rookie lies in tyre management. It’s not about being fast, but about knowing how to manage a race. I think that’s the main limitation for a young driver. We’ve already seen that with Oscar Piastri, who is now leading the championship. It took him a year and a half to reach Norris’ level.”

“Kimi also doesn’t know all the tracks, and that’s definitely a disadvantage. It will probably take three years to see the real Antonelli fighting with the more experienced drivers. Even George, who is now among the best on the grid, needed time. It’s something that must be accepted — it’s part of the journey,” the Mercedes team principal concluded.