Toto Wolff loves what Kimi Antonelli does in Mercedes debriefs when he wins a race

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Toto Wolff continues to be amazed by Kimi Antonelli’s growth and development as a driver, especially as he continues to embrace his role with Mercedes.

Antonelli managed to win the Belgian Grand Prix, marking a strong return to form for the young Italian driver who had struggled in recent weeks.

And with Russell’s comments showing Mercedes why they should favour Antonelli, it is feeling more and more likely that the Mercedes driver will be crowned champion.

For many fans, Kimi Antonelli has been one of the biggest surprises this season, especially considering how early in his career this success is coming.

And while Antonelli has had some maturity issues with Mercedes, CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff has been very impressed with what he has seen from the youngster.

READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli knows Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari will be ‘fearsome’ at Hungarian Grand Prix

Toto Wolff explains the approach Kimi Antonelli has adopted in 2026 that is behind his ‘unpredictable’ success

Speaking to Channel 4 after the Belgian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff was asked about how happy he is to see Kimi Antonelli regularly thriving with the team.

In particular, Wolff praised Antonelli’s mentality and approach, which he has seen in their regular debrief meetings, that have allowed him to become so successful this season.

“When you see the development, he’s only 19 and in his second season, but he delivers a weekend that is faultless. A wise drive today. It’s almost like the development trajectory is scary.

“First, we heard it was a mistake when we decided to hire him. So many people said we should have gone for a safer choice. And I felt that we were going to have a season that was full of ups and downs.

“But a good preparation for 2026, and this is what happened. How he came out of the blocks in 2026 was unpredictable in any case, and the maturity he comes into a debrief with, you wouldn’t know whether the situation was good or bad, just the same analytical mindset.”

READ MORE: George Russell tells Mercedes he just wants the ‘same car’ as Kimi Antonelli

Is George Russell fighting with one hand behind his back, or is Kimi Antonelli just too good?

Antonelli extends his lead in the standings to 44 points after Spa!

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Kimi Antonelli finds himself in prime position to win the world championship

It’s hard to recall the last time we’ve seen a driver enter Formula 1 and almost instantly establish himself as a championship contender.

Perhaps not since Lewis Hamilton with McLaren, who won his first world championship in his second season in the sport, has there been a driver make such a huge impact so early in their career as Antonelli.

On top of that, Antonelli has shattered George Russell’s confidence in the process, despite the Briton being considered the pre-season favourite to win the world championship.

His success has been so impressive that Mercedes engineers have reportedly picked Antonelli over Russell, showing how much the landscape has changed.

And with him now holding a 46-point lead over Hamilton in the championship race, many are believing that he is best-placed among all drivers on the grid to win the world championship.