Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said watching Kimi Antonelli claim the F1 crown felt completely unlike the years he spent with Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli secured his first title in Mexico on Sunday, becoming the sport’s youngest champion at just 20 after a dominant 2026 season with four races still to go.
The Italian rose to the top in only his second year, fast‑tracked by Mercedes who signed him back in 2019 when he was still karting.
His triumph marks Mercedes’ first world title since Hamilton’s record‑tying seventh in 2020, which was the sixth for the Brit since joining the team in 2013.
Wolff recalled: “Those championships with Lewis were absolutely incredible and rewarding.”
He added, “We all felt part of Lewis’s history – the greatest champion – and will look back decades later saying, ‘we were world champions with Lewis Hamilton.’”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Wolff continued, “I still think about it often. He remains culturally relevant far beyond the sport.”
He said, “That moment was truly special. Those titles stay with me forever, but this one feels different – he’s still the kid who hasn’t changed much visually.”
Wolff laughed, “I tried reaching him a few weeks ago, asked ‘where’s Kimi?’ He told me he was at a water park for his birthday.”
He concluded, “Great! As long as we protect it, his bond with Mercedes is wonderful to see.”
Sunday was a particularly tense day for Wolff, given the controversy over swapping Hamilton, now at Ferrari, for teenage Antonelli.
Even before his lone F2 season, the youngster was earmarked as Hamilton’s successor thanks to his impressive junior record.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, PREMA Racing
His F2 stint fell short, finishing sixth, and Wolff admitted Mercedes lost two sponsors after promoting him for 2025.
The previous year was also disappointing, trailing teammate George Russell by 169 points and enduring a tough stretch after a Montreal podium, followed by six non‑scores in Europe.
Nevertheless, Antonelli surged in 2026, eclipsing pre‑season favourite Russell with nine wins, 16 podiums and seven poles from 19 races.
Wolff added, “I never felt it was difficult; the team, including Ola Kallenius, backed the decision from the start. No doubt there.”
He noted, “The doubt came from outside – former partners, other teams, drivers who thought they deserved a chance, and the media.”
He recalled, “People said you couldn’t be serious putting an 18‑year‑old in Lewis Hamilton’s car.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Wolff said, “He had a modest Formula 2 season. Some think he should have spent another year there to prove himself before moving up.”
He observed, “Critics argued he didn’t belong at Mercedes, that the pressure was too great, and suggested a stint at Williams like George’s.”
Those voices grew louder after nine straight races without points, culminating in tears at Spa.
Wolff remarked, “The ‘I told you so’ chatter got louder, but I never doubted the season we expected.”
He explained, “It was always a two‑year plan, with the second year confirming what we saw. Today we have that confirmation.”
– The Team
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