Wolff calms the heat around Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli will be one of six new recruits to Formula 1 in 2025. And like most of these beginners, he is approaching his first year in the premier category with high expectations. Indeed, Antonelli's task is not the least, since he must compensate for the absence of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who left for Ferrari.

For years, Antonelli has been considered the “young prodigy” of motorsport and therefore carries a lot of weight on his shoulders. However, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is cautious with this reputation, as he will only describe the 18-year-old as such if he confirms his performances in the junior categories in Formula 1.

“We hope this happens sooner rather than later”said the Austrian in an interview published in the latest issue of Auto motor und Sport. But it is certain that this will not happen “right away”.

And Wolff is leveling his expectations accordingly, aware of what can happen when the pressure becomes too much, as was seen at Monza during FP1 when Antonelli sent the W15 into the wall after just a few minutes on track. The choice of a very young recruit is therefore considered by many to be a big risk for Mercedes, but Wolff does not see it that way, provided the issue is approached with the right attitude.

“If the expectation is that he will be on pole position in Melbourne, win the race and immediately fight for the championship, then there are risks, because that will not happen not”he retorted. “On the other hand, if we assume that this boy is 18 years old, that he is very talented, but that he must first flourish and that he will make mistakes, the risk is limited.”

The Austrian also wants to convey this state of mind to the entire team and shareholders, and warns against “believing that good test results will simply translate into racing.”

Antonelli will be one of six rookies in the field – or almost since Lawson and Bearman are technically no longer considered that way – with Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Gabriel Bortoleto (Stake Sauber) and Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), which shows a new trend in favor of young drivers and constitutes a complete turnaround compared to 2024, which saw no new recruits join the grid.

According to Wolff, Bearman's unplanned race in Saudi Arabia led to some questioning about the level of these rookies. The Briton had replaced Carlos Sainz at short notice at Ferrari and had climbed up to seventh position without much preparation, on a circuit known to be difficult. “[Franco] Colapinto also made an immediate impact”added Wolff. “Suddenly, everyone realized that the young people were starting at a very high level.”

In view of the new 2026 regulations, many teams have therefore chosen to “sacrifice” 2025 and make it an experimental year for these beginners, so that they are fully prepared for the change in regulations. This is also Wolff's opinion: “We see 2025 as a year of transition and we want to prepare it for 2026, when everything will start from scratch for everyone”.

Only one danger seems to await Antonelli and his teammate George Russell at Mercedes, and that is Max Verstappen. Because if the Dutchman were to find himself on the transfer market, Wolff would not hesitate to recruit him.

Due to internal disputes at Red Bull, a transfer of the four-time world champion already seemed possible in 2025, but Verstappen ultimately stayed “loyal” to his team at heart. Wolff confirmed that he had “always discussed” with the Dutch and “kept communication open”before the Red Bull driver cut short the discussions. “And I said we would go with Kimi, because that suits us too”Wolff said. “And now we’ll see where this all takes us.”